The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-11-29

sending Of one of our guides to Chellala-
This Arab rode camel called in Arabic
''diemel .balek,'' so denominated for being
especially trained for the race, and can run
nearly whole day without stopping. Be
sides, their stride is considerably longer
than that of a horse. This messenger,
starting at l O'Clock, assured he would be
there by night. He was the bearer of an
order Tor the caid, Arab chief of tribe,
to hire fifty camels, forthwith, load them
with water and come to meet US at the next
stage.
The water we drank from the barrels
was as If taken from the fire, we reckoned
IL was at least so degrees Reaumur, that is
lO0 degrees Fahrenheit; nevertheless it
brought US sensation of pleasure and re-
llef. ALI the men were advised to reserve
part OF 1T to make some coffee next morn
ing, as we did every day before starting;
Dut our tnroats were so parched that the
two plnts given to each were drained in a
lew minutes, reserving only little for
cooking food. Next morning we were
obliged TO start fasting and without drop
OF water in our canteens-each soldier
Wnlle travelling carries a small can filled
with water for his own use. We were
naturally very anxious, under the circum-
stances, as to the issue of that journey
during which trial of great magnitude
attended US,
The men kept On the march bravely
until O'Clock, plodding along an unvary
ing plain OF weary and reverberating sur
lace. Now not a green leaf around,
gauzy cloud above or slight breeze would
AFFORD US the least sensation of freshness.
Soon the men began falling from exhaus-
ton. The heat, fatigue, thirst and want of
nourlshment worked 80 terribly upon US
that In about an hour
FIFTY MEN HAD FALLEN.
Half an hour later almost all the mules and
camels were loaded with men scarcely
showing signs of life. The officers and
even the colonel came down from their
horses and put them at the disposal of the
sufferers, two of whom could be placed
upon each animal. We were still about ten
miles from the spot designated by the
guides as the next stopping place. and
where the carriers Of water were to meet
US. Another consultation took place be-
tween the colonel. doctor and guide. The
doctor said, ''if no water is found L fear
no man will reach the hating place."
Questioned, the guide replied he was not
well acquainted with the surroundings, so
the colonel gave orders for five or six rid
ing officers to explore ell the section for two
miles around.
could hardly find words to portray our
situation at that moment. While constantly
some men dropped from exhaustion, slowly
the glowing sun, their heads cast down,
their feet blistered and painful, their
strength exhausted, eyes closed to avoid
the reverberation of the sunshine, bent by
| fatigue, with mouth open gasping for
breath. Some tried to suck small pebbles
to produce saliva to moisten the throat, but
in vain; thirst had dried up even our lungs
causing US acute pain in the side and back.
While thus dispirited, scarcely progress
| ing, from time to time our eyes anxiously
| sought the direction of the horsemen pros
pecting for water. Finally one of them,
| perceiving an Arab riding ON donkey
ran to him and asked whether he could
say where water could be found; the Bed
ouin directed him to spot about half a
mile further on, where he, indeed, found a
sheet Of shallow water Putting his
horses to the greatest speed, he returned
and went straight to the head of the col
umn shouting to the bugler to sound the
| halt At seeing him returning so fast, we
all surmised that water had been found
Then followed pitlful spectacle. With
out waiting for any order, the poor fellows,
who in their exhausted condition could
| but one minute before, advance only at
snaips pace, all, even the sick, as if struck
| by magical force, gained supernatural
strength. Throwing down their KNAPP
sacks and guns, they ran frantically in the
direction whence the horsemen had come,
like men routed in the fight and fleeing
from death. How powerful was the in
centive of such sudden change. We ran
nearly mile to reach the shallow pond,
which was about 60 feet long, 20 wide and
from 2 to feet deep. The men arrived in
a rush and threw themselves down, their
heads bent in the water; but the edge hav-
ing not sufficient length to afford a place
for all, they heaped themselves one upon
another, and as there was still not room
for all, the last in coming jumped into the
midst of the shallow pond, though being
ignorant of its depth, and sat down in the
water. nothing visible but their heads.
The officers having followed their men,
had to witness
MOST AFFECTING TABLEAU.
On seeing that thick border of men around
tho shallow water and about two hundred
heads emerging therefrom, their emotion
| became quite visible and the severity of
discipline took the form of demonstrative
| kindness. The doctor calling the men as
my friends" begged of them not to drink
beyond necessity to avoid Ill consequences.
| The colonel addressing them as "My chill
dren;" repeated with paternal words what
the doctor had said.
AT last when the men had satisfied their
thirst, those on the edge rose, but they
who were in the water seemed loath or un-
able to leave 1t. The officers went to their
assistance and pulled them out, their feet
and clothing covered with mire. For q
time they all sat around, looking from one
to another with dazed eyes and speechless
as if being astonished at seeing one another
alive after such an experience. AS for me-
though carrying no knapsack nor gun,
was not less wrought up than the others
and had suffered quite as much, not being
used as the zouaves were, to tramp in thai
deadly climate.
What had been piteous with the men was
lamentable with the animals, that had not
suffeaed less than we. AS soon as they
perceived the water they became unman-
ageable, and their drivers were obliged tC
let them go. They plunged into the water
and their feet sank in the slime, from
which the men had much difficulty in ex
tracing them. After all had been re
freshed, we returned slowly to the spo
where the knapsacks had been left anC
sat down there again under the deadly
hot sun, suffering complete depression Of
vital force. Soon we perceived two Arabs
on horseback coming toward US; it was
the caid of Chelalla with one of his men
Our colonel went to meet him, askins
whether he had come with water HI
answered that his carriers had stopped foul
miles distant, whereupon he was asked Il
have them come to our hating place. ST.
we camped without moving further, and a
last we enjoyed the rest that we needed 81
much. We were now perspiring freely
and not one of US had desire to eat unit
late in the evening, after sleep, the mos
blessed rest ever felt in my life.
The next day, the men, being worn out
were relieved OF their knapsacks, which
were carried by the new relay of camels
the journey was short and we reached thu
hating place without much trouble.
From this spot we could perceive twent,
miles away patch Of Yerdure, the Arabian
, city for which we were bound. This city
is small oasis about two miles in circum
; ference, covered thickly and with ex
lnl1 fir fro % of A.