CHAP. IX. 
RETURN ALONG THE COAST. 
339 
out to all. Many hints were given me that I ought to kill my lame 
animal, but I would not understand them, as I thought he might 
still be serviceable to me. Several Arab vi^anderers came to partake 
of our feast ; and we were obliged, when it grew dark, to give warning 
that any stranger seen walking near the Kaffle would be fired at. 
One of the Sheikhs, who had flocks near us, sent us some oranges, 
which we devoured, rind and all, in a moment. Our road had been 
so very circuitous that I could not be accurate as to the bearings, 
but as near as I could judge we had gone west-north- west eighteen 
miles. 
I was so ill on our march this morning as to be ujider the 
necessity of stopping with the camel I rode, and lying on the 
ground, an Arab remaining with me. I was seized with such violent 
trembhng, that the man was obliged for some time to sit on and 
hold me down to prevent my injuring myself. I suffered much 
agony, and the most intolerable thirst ; to assuage which the kind 
Arab went about two miles back on his road to bring me water. 
He was so long absent, that I began to despair of his return ; my 
fever each moment increased, and my thirst, in consequence, became 
so excessive, that observing my camel, which was at a little distance 
from me, making water, I resolved to attempt reaching him, and 
endeavouring to avail myself of a resource, which, under any other 
circumstances, would have filled me with disgust. Weak and ex- 
hausted as I was, and with no alternative but to drink, or, as I 
thought, to expire, I was about to catch and swallow the nauseous 
draught, when, at that moment, I perceived my trusty Arab 
ascending a hill, and advancing towards me. Those only who have 
experienced the agonies of suspense, or the torments of parching 
thirst, can conceive my sensations when he joined me, bringing the 
wished-for beverage ; which, after all, was only dirty water in a goat- 
skin, but which I thought delicious, and drank with delight and 
x x 2 
