38 
TIME IN THE DESERT. 
wherever this is found there are bitter salts. Swal- 
lows were skimming over the shrubs, and birds of 
prey hovered about, now lying-to, as it were, over- 
head, v/ith beak and talons visible, now circling 
upwards until they became mere specks. Lizards 
and beetles abounded as usual ; but the only plagues 
of the place were the flies, which had followed the 
camels from Gharian, and even from Tripoli. Men 
usually carry their "black cares" along with them 
in this way. 
As we could not expect to commence the traject 
of the dreaded plateau immediately, I resolved to 
go upon a visit to the village of Western Ghareeali. 
The camel-drivers of the caravan, of course, told 
us that it was at the distance of one hour — Saha 
has ! but we found it to be three hours in a north- 
east direction. Time is of little consequence in the 
desert, and no means are possessed or desired of 
measuring it with exactitude. It has already been 
observed by a traveller, that the Bedawin will de- 
scribe as near an object a hundred yards off, or a 
well two days' journey from yoii. Western Ghareeah 
was likewise described as grayeh, but we thought 
for some time that we had ventured upon an inter- 
minable desert. However, the ground at length 
dipped, and a green wady disclosed itself. We 
could scarcely, at first, find anybody to receive us. 
But after waiting some time, the people came un- 
willingly crawling out one after the other. We 
told them our errand — " To look at the country and 
