NO WATER LEFT 
559 
gait which always distinguish them. Their excrement con- 
tained next to no straw, for they were living almost entirely 
upon their own flesh, and were growing fearfully thin. 
They presented a wretched appearance, every rib they had 
plainly showing through their hair. The three camels we 
had tibandoned were no doubt by this time dead ; in any 
case, it was too late to do anything to save them, even 
though we should come across water immediately. 
It was a still, calm day, although the atmosphere was 
still saturated with dust. The men .said, and with truth, 
that it was God’s blessing the past few days had been 
cool, and we had not had the burning' sun to contend 
against. Otherwise every camel we had would have given 
in, and we ourselves .should be on our last legs. 
I walked for twelve and a half hours without stopping ; 
we covered altogether nearly seventeen miles before we 
encamped for the night. Eastwards there was not the 
slightest sign of an improvement in the surface of the 
country. The same billowy sea of .sand stretched right 
away to the horizon ; there was not a single object except 
sand upon which the eye could rest. 
April 30th. The thermometer fell to a minimum of 
4i°2 Fahr. (5°! C.), and even when morning came, it was 
decidedly cold. Clouds of fine dust still floated about in 
the atmosphere ; but it cleared sufficiently to let us see 
the position of the sun, i.e., a faint brightening that 
loomed through the haze. We gave the camels another 
saddle stuffing and all the bread we had, and so considered 
they would be able to last out another day. There were 
two tumblerfuls of water left in one of the pitchers. Whilst 
the men were engaged in loading up for the start, Islam 
Bai caught Yollchi, with his back to his comrades, and the 
pitcher at his mouth. There ensued an unpleasant and 
painful scene. Islam Bai and Kasim, boiling with rage, 
flung themselves upon Yollchi, hurled him to the ground, 
struck him in the face, kicked him, and would assuredly 
have killed him, had I not intervened with my authority, 
and compelled them to let him get up. Me had drunk 
half of what there was, leaving about one-third of a pint. 
