Chap.XXVIL THE STRAY CAMEL. 
209 
Keeping generally along a hollow, which however 
was not much depressed, and which consisted of 
arable sandy soil with a few bushes and trees, we 
reached the little town or village Dunii, surrounded 
with a ditch and earthen wall in decay, so that 
the gate had become useless. There was a large 
open space inside, and as the inhabitants, who gave 
us a very cheerful welcome, advised us not to en- 
camp outside, on account of the number of wild 
beasts infesting the neighbourhood, we pitched the 
tent inside the wall. 
We might have passed a very comfortable evening 
with the natives, who took great interest in me, had 
it not been for my faithful old companion the Bu- 
sefi, the best (or rather the only good one) of my 
three camels, which, when it was growing dark, and 
c Abd-Alla went to bring the animals back from their 
pasture, could not be found. The careless boy had 
neglected to fasten the camel's legs ; and being very 
hungry, it had gone in search of better herbage. 
This was a very disagreeable accident for me, as I 
was in the greatest hurry ; and my two young lads, 
who were well aware of it, went for several hours, 
accompanied by the inhabitants of the place, in every 
direction, through the whole tract where the camels 
had been grazing, lighting the ground with torches, 
but all in vain. 
Wearied and exhausted, they returned about mid- 
night and lay down to sleep, the music and dance 
also, which the cheerful natives had kept up, dying 
VOL. II, p 
