Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-06-17

uation had suddenly become very
serious. The previous day Abdullah
had surprised us by insisting on a
slightly southeasterly course, as he
had not yet seen a small landmark
on the Zieghen route. When we had
talked the matter over in Jalo he had
assured us calmly and strongly that
he had been to Taiserbo and knew the
route. We cross-questioned him Sc
verely. and always he had been con-
fident of being able to guide US to any
of the southern GASES, though he had
urged us not to go to Buseima on &C
count of the danger of being at
tackled.
Now, according to our map, it was
$50 kilometers from Buttafal to Tais-
erbo. 1t was generally stated by the
Arabs to be a seven days journey.
which was a daily march of eleven to
twelve hours at an average of four
and fraction kilometers an hour.
! Therefore, in spite of Abdullah's
change of direction. according to the
mileage we had done we should have
been well within the GASES that night.
We had confidently expected it the
previous evening, when we noticed a
certain vagueness about our guide.
Don't talk to him, or he will lose
his head" said Mohammed on the
sixth day.
1t is looked upon as definite dis
ease. like fever. this losing the head
on the part of the guides. 1t was ex-
traordinary to see the change in the
Beduin's face that day. The whole
outline of his features seemed to have
| become blurred, while his eyes were
restless and troubled. He stopped as
he walked and kept asking il we
thought he was going straight. SO
that by the end of that day we had
, to direct him by the map. which we
had every reason to believe inaccu-
rate. 1t must be remembered that
while we always knew roughly where
we were, we never knew where
! Taiserbo was. We started half ra-
! tions for the camels on the 31st and
tried to cut down the water ration
still more, though since the girbas
] (water skins) had begun to leak we
had dispensed with the half-cupful
| for washing.
New Years Day dawned gloomily.
| We had two half-feeds for the camels
! and barely enough water for two
| days at less than a pint per day per
person. We were, however, little
| cheered up when, as we were load
ing the camels. Abdullah pointed out
| faint blur in the east and said it
was Mazeel, some hillocks he had
hoped to see the previous day. On
! clear mornings. about an hour before
| dawn, when the desert is very fat,
a mirage of the country about days
journey distant appears on the hori-
ION. For a few minutes one sees a
picture of what is some fifty kill
ometers farther on. The Arabs call
it 'the country turning upside down."
On January /, the seventh day of
our march, we saw this mirage for
the first time-brushwood and hill
ocks quite clearly to the south. yet
our guide turned deliberately west of
it.
Abdullah kept on his southwesterly
course for a few hours. and then be-
gan to wander slightly. The blacks
wanted to beat him. Even Moham-
med was impatient with him. We
steered almost due south. Hassan-
Elm had to ride all day and Moham-
med's eyes were bloodshot with the
pain of his feet, yet he struggled on.
x X K X
TT was terrible walk. Every one
i knew that. humanity speaking. they
were going to die of thirst within
day or two. Nearly every one had
blistered feet. and no one had had
enough to eat. yet every one laughed.
at is evidently the will of Allah that
we die" said Farraj politely, but no
one will die before Sidi Abdullah."
I doubt if the guide heard. He
trailed along with a blank, dispirited
stare, first edging west, then east. Mo-
manned was tottering on swollen
feet. 81 think that / would rather
die beside my luggage" he said
placidly. Doubtless Abdullah and
Yusuf would like to wander about to
the end, but 1 do not know this
country, Hamdulillah it will be
quick.
Thereafter every one spoke of