438 
IPSEHA, OR THE CLOUDS. 
were off five minutes after it, making for the pass 
called Durb-wait, or Udder-a-waep (signifying narrow 
road), and entered it after passing two hills, named 
Gorebat (solitary) and Abnoogara (the drummer). The 
pass wound very much, and varied in breadth from 
three yards to a thousand, being sometimes so rocky 
that our camel-men cheered up the spirits of the ani- 
mals by calling out to them " Abdil Ka-a-dr," as much 
as to say, "God preserve you from harm over the 
rough stones." But when the sandy level bed of the 
valley widened, and rugged mountains imprisoned it 
all round, there was something wildly-grand about 
the scene. The natives had christened this place Ip- 
seha, or the clouds. We encamped some distance up 
the valley, where a few acacias, having pods like ear- 
rings, grew upon the plain of sand. We had been for 
ten hours on the move, and we left again at one 
o'clock, keeping still in " Udder-a-wsep," or the pass, 
for six miles. Waves of drifted sand almost buried 
the higher hills, up whose sides it lay like snow- 
wreaths. Here, curious enough, were some dead trees 
which we might have carried in as firewood, but the 
Seedees were too apathetic. The desert we were about 
to enter was our first genuine sandy desert ; all the 
preceding had been firm and hard. Nothing but miles 
of heavy sand, as deep as a lake, was now seen. The 
camel-drivers and guides again shouted " Abdil Ka- 
a-dr " to give heart to their camels, and with this short 
prayer urged the animals quickly over the danger. 
There was no trace of a path, and the night was com- 
ing on, but the sky was clear. The Seedees knew no 
danger ; all were jolly ; and as there was no chance 
of a dust-storm, we lay down for two hours. We then 
