558 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
they did, it was in whifpers,. by which I eafily gueffed their 
difcourfe was not favourable to me, or elfe that they were 
increafing each others fears, by vain fuggeftions calculated 
to fink each others fpirits ftill further, but from which no 
earthly good could poffibly refult. I called them together, 
and both reprimanded and exhorted them in the ftrongeft 
manner I could; I bade them attend to me, who had nearly 
loft my voice by the fimoom, and defired them to look at 
my face, fo {welled as fcarcely to permit me to fee; my 
neck covered with blifters, my feet fwelled and inflamed, 
and bleeding with many wounds. In anfwer to the lamen- — 
tation that the water was exhaufted, and that we were upon 
the point of dying with thirft, I ordered each man a gourd 
full of water more than he had the preceding day, and 
fhewed them, at no great diftance, the bare, black, and fharp 
point of the rock Chiggre, wherein was the well-at which 
we were again to fill our girbas, and thereby banith the fear 
of dying by thirft in the defert. I believe I never was at 
any time more eloquent, and never had eloquence a more 
fudden effect. They all protefted and declared their con- 
cern chiefly arofe from the fituation they faw me in; that 
they feared not death or hardfhip, provided I would fubmit 
a little to their direction in the taking a proper care of my- 
felf. They intreated me to ufe one of the camels, and throw 
off the load that it carried, that it would eafe me of the 
wounds in my feet, by riding at leaft part of the day. This 
I pofitively refufed to do, but recommended to them to be 
ftrong of heart, and to fpare the camels for the laft re- 
fource, if any fhould be taken ill and unable to walk any 
longer. | 
4 i Tus 
