THE CAMP OF DEATH 
573 
load of it, amounting' to nearly ^280 in value. 1 hoped 
we should soon discover water ; then we should be able 
to return and fetch what we were now putting aside. But 
Islam Bai would not hear of the money being left behind ; 
and events proved that he was right. In addition to the 
things already mentioned, Islam found room for a couple 
of boxes of cigars and cigarettes, some cooking utensils, 
which we had brought on with us from camp No. XVII., 
all our weapons and a small supply of cartridges, candles, 
a lantern, bucket, spade, rope, and a number of similar 
objects. 
Amongst the things left behind I may mention two 
heavy ammunition-chests, the tent, some felts, together 
with our last carpet, several cases filled with miscellaneous 
articles, cloth, caps, and khalats, which I had intended as 
presents for the native chiefs, several useful books of 
reference, both my photographic cameras, with over a 
thousand plates, of which a hundred or more had been 
used during our journey across the desert ; further, some 
saddles, the medicine - chest, drawing materials, unused 
sketch-books, all my clothes, winter boots, winter caps, 
gloves, etc. 
We packed up the things we were not taking with us 
in some eight packing-cases inside the tent, the tent- 
canvas being turned in underneath them, so that they 
might help to hold up the tent in stormy weather. We 
counted upon the white tent-canvas, which was visible a 
long way off, more especially as we pitched it on the top 
of a sand-hill, serving as a sign-post if we should come 
back in quest of the goods. I dressed myself entirely in 
white, from top to toe. If I was doomed to die in the 
sand, I wanted to be properly attired : I wanted my burial 
clothes to be both white and clean. 
The things we deemed it indispensable to take with us 
were packed in five Sart kurchins or double wallets made 
of sailcloth. We stripped the camels of their pack- 
saddles, and put these on their backs instead. One camel 
carried the heavy things, such as the rifles, spades, and so 
forth, all wrapped up together in a kighiz or felt carpet. 
