102 
WANT OF WATER. 
[chap. Iv. 
Hardly were the animals reloaded and again ready for 
the march, when the men remembered that they had 
only one water skin full. I had given orders before 
the start from Belignan that all should be filled. This 
is the unexceptional rule in African travelling—-“fill 
your girbas before starting.” Never mind what the 
natives may tell you concerning the existence of water 
on the road; believe nothing; but resolutely determine 
to fill the girbas;—should you find water, there is no 
harm done if you are already provided : but nothing 
can exceed the improvidence of the people. To avoid 
the trouble of filling the girbas before starting, the men 
will content themselves with “Inshallah ” (please God) 
we shall find water on the road, and they frequently 
endure the greatest suffering from sheer idleness in 
neglecting a supply. 
They had in this instance persuaded themselves that 
the river we had just crossed would not be dry. 
Several of them had been employed in this country 
formerly, and because they had at one time found 
water in the sandy bed, they had concluded that it 
existed still. Accordingly they now wished to send 
parties to seek for water; this would entail a further 
delay, at a time when every minute was precious, as 
our fate depended in reaching and passing through 
Ellyria before the arrival of the Turks. I was very 
anxious, and determined not to allow a moment's hesi¬ 
tation ; I therefore insisted upon an immediate advance, 
and resolved to march without stopping throughout 
the night. The Latooka guides explained by signs 
that if we marched all night we should arrive at water 
on the following morning. This satisfied the men; 
and we started. For some miles we passed through 
a magnificent forest of large trees : the path being 
remarkably good, the march looked propitious—this 
good fortune however was doomed to change. We 
shortly entered upon thick thorny jungles; the path was 
so overgrown that the camels could scarcely pass under 
the overhanging branches, and the leather bags of pro- 
