463 
CHAP. LXVIIL 
FIRST RESIDENCE IN THE DESERT. POLITICAL COMBINATIONS. — 
GREAT MOSQUE. — GROUND-PLAN OF THE TOWN. 
This was an important moment for myself, 
• i . i , . n . i * * i October 11th, 
as, with the exception ot an occasional visit 
to the Sheikh, who lived only a few yards across the 
street, and an almost daily promenade on my terrace, 
I had not moved about since my arrival. With a 
deep consciousness of the critical position in which I 
was placed, I followed my protector, who, mounted on 
his favourite white mare, led the way through the 
streets of the town, along which the assembled na- 
tives were thronging in order to get a glance at me. 
Leaving the high mounds of rubbish which constitute 
the groundwork of the northern part of the town on 
our left, and pursuing a north-north- easterly direction 
over a sandy tract covered with stunted bushes, and 
making only a short halt near a well five miles from 
the town, for the purpose of watering our horses, 
after a march of two miles more we reached the 
camp, which could easily be recognised at a great 
distance by two large white cotton tents, whose size 
and situation made them conspicuous above some 
