46 
COLD TEMPEST. 
red earth, scattered over with pebbles and loose 
pieces of limestone mixed with flint. 
The Haraadah was very cold in the night, the 
wind being from the north. Dr. Overweg does not 
think that the plateau is more than fifteen hundred 
feet above the level of the sea ; but it may be two 
thousand, and a little more in some places. By day 
it is hot enough ; and as there is little to be observed 
on these vast, elevated stretches of stony desert, I 
thought it best to continue my original plan for 
three whole nights. v 
To spare one's self is the great secret of Saharan 
travelling ; and there is, after all, not much to observe 
in this desolate region. 
I should mention, that the second night Ali came 
up in a penitent state along with a khafilali from 
Ghareeah, and so our poor black women had an 
opportunity of getting a lift on the spare camels. 
We could, therefore, go on until morning without 
fear of losing any of our party in the night. The 
position of a person who falls behind a caravan in 
the desert very much resembles that of a man over- 
board. This khafilah preceded us to Shaty. 
After the third night I found the weather so 
cool and temperate, that I continued on the whole 
of the day ; and the Germans joining me in the 
evening, we did not again separate. It was 
towards the close of the third night that we were 
assailed by an awful tempest of wind, rain, and 
lightning, which flashed upon us occasionally 
