Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-09

to say: "WeI, what are you going to do about
it2" told me that something was amiss. / was
not prepared, however, for the alarming news
broken to me- Atahair had failed to ind the
water-holel
To say that I was taken aback Is hopelessly
inadequate, for our guide had appeared 50 con-
hdent of the route that no doubts whatever had
crossed my mind concerning his abilities. His
admission now-that not only could he not md
the water-hole, but that this place was not
Katelet, and the surroundings were quite un-
familiar to him-was startling.
There was no doubt as to the flrst thing to
be done, and that was to collect all the re-
naming water and place it under lock and key.
In one respect the cold weather had been
blessing, for since leaving Tadeghat we had not
required our fun ration of water, but this saw
ing had to q certain extent been counteracted
by the partial drying up of the waterskins by
the wind.
Our total supply, augmented BY every drop
we could squeeze out Of the water bottles,
amounted to Just over one and q half drums
full-six or seven gallons. The only completely
fun drum was the one containing the unpleas-
ant green-hued liquid we had luckily brought
from Tadeghat
The two locked drums. containing all that
stood between US and q terrible. death from
thirst, kept under my own eyes and retained
the keys myself had in addition few small
tins OF condensed milk. but that was not much
use as q thirst quencher. When and where we
were to obtain more water heaven alone knew,
and the only thing to do seemed to be to limit
the ration to the smallest possible quantity that
would keep US alive. After discussion little
less than q mugful each day was decided on.
Atahair now said that there should be some
Ahaggaren Tuaregs grazing their camels in the
neighborhood of Katelet and he suggested that
he and Mahomed one Of the camel men. should
go on in search of them. II they were found
M 49, .~nnrV loN 20 h3@ and
the pair left in the afternoon. Mahomed riding
the strongest Of the baggage camels.
The remaining members Of the party then set
about searching the surrounding country in the
hope Of finding . water hole which might pos
sibIy have escaped notice.
Surrounding us all sides except the south
were groups OF bare and desolate hills Of broken
and heaped-up rock, and the most likely places
for finding water appeared to be up in the
torrent beds with which some Of these hills we're
gashed. Il was here, therefore, that the re-
matnder Of the day was spent.
WE clambered over enormous bOulders and
Nat rocks, searched in the hollows scooped
out at their bases and scratched the sand in
the channels, but always with the same result
not a drop OF moisture to be found any
where. An exceptionally long period had
elapsed all over this part Of the Sahara since
rain had fallen-and everywhere was dry, dry
as sun-bleached bones.
One by one we stumbled back to camp that
evening, all with the same doleful news, already
beginning TO feel thirsty and realizing that there
Is not much satisfaction in q mugful Of water
day. The very knowledge Of the fact that
there was so little water tended to make one
feel more parched and never in my life have I
missed anything so much as the mugs OF not
r steaming tea with which had been accustomed
=. to regale myself on the completion Of days
march,, s,a yss wow