Evening star., 1926-03-14

| Mohammeda and was especially
hosG!la toward Europeans. particular.
| ly those occupying Moslem territories.
! Moreover. they are not confined only
TO the Libyan Desert. but form one
of the most powerful of the dervish
orders. with followers spread through
out practically the whole Moslem
world from Sumatra to Morocco.
| And now QWay, though he made
great protestations of keenness.
soon found to be obstructing my prep
arations. and he developed signs of
dishonesty that I had not noticed in
him before. What was worse. found
him secretly communicating with a
member Of the Senussi Zawia in Qasr
Dakhla. who, for some unexplained
reason, had come to Assiut and who
seemed to be In frequent communiCa-
ton with him.
This all pointed to some underhand
dealing with the Senussi who always
opposed any attempt to enter their
country--usuallv by tampering with
a travellers guides. concluded that
had better keep a closer watch upon
the conduct OF my guide than l had
done before
A FEW days later at CARA Station
found Nimr. brother OF Sheykh
Suleyman. who had aided me in organ
izinR my caravan. He brought up to
me & jet black Sudani, about six feet
three in height, who was 80 lightly
built that he could hardly have
weighed more than l20 pounds. He
answered to the name of Abdulla abu
Reesha-"Abdulla the father of feath.
ers.' nickname given to him on ac-
Ill. II
He had. however. the reputation of
being one of the best guides in the
desert. and was always in request
lect natron from Bir Natrun. where
there was always very fair chance
Of a scrap with the Bedayat.
Nimr suggested that | should take
him as guide. and appeared to he
greatly disappointed when told him |
had already ged Qway. I prom.
ised. however. to bear him in mind.
and if | wanted another guide at any
time to write and ask Sheykh Suley-
man TO send him.
When my caravan reached kharga
met Sheykh Suleyman. and as I was
camped not far from hts tent. rode
over and spent an evening with him.
Qway. Of course. accompanied me in
hopes Of free meal. but was most
frigidly received by the sheykh. who
treated him in the most contemptuous
manner. We had supper. consisting
of bread and treacle and hard boiled
eggs. followed by coffee and cigar
cites. after which we sat for a time
and talked.
"Yon had better take me as guide
instead of Qway." suddenly suggested
Sheykh Suleyman.
Qway looked quickly up. evidently
greatly ANNOYED. and the social at
mosphere became distinctly electric.
explained that I could not well do that,
as | had found Qway an excellent
guide the year before and had already
signed an agreement to take him on
again for the season. Qway rather
hotly added some expostulation that ]
could not quite catch. but the gist of
1t apparently was that Sheykh Suley-
man was not quite pla aying the game.
The sheykh laughed
"Maleysh" never mind, he said. 'if
you want another guide. write me
letter and I will send Abdulla abu
Beesha. He's a good man,-better
than Qway."
Qway commenced a heated reply.
only to be laughed at by Sheykh Suley-
man. AZ the interview threatened to
become distinctly stormy, | took the
earliest opportunity of returning to
camp.
7 1PON returning to Nut after sew
- eral days in the desert I several
times noticed a man dressed like a
Tripolitan Arab in long woolen blan-
ket. but had never been able to get a
good look at him. as he always avoided