Monday, March 6th.—The girl was buried near the road; and at 7.30. we went through a pass called Hormut t’uziz, خرموت توزيز, for five miles. At ten passed an insulated hill of gravel, resembling a tent in form, and called El Khayma, الخيما, or the tent. We proceeded north 25° west through the pass, a strong south wind blowing. At twelve the tent bore south 15° east four miles. At 1.15. came from an uneven stony desert, bounded on the right by mountains, to heavy sand, called Wadey Booatila, وادي قواتلا, or “the father of Atila trees.” At 2.30. entered a broad pass; had steered from the last bearing north 16° east four miles. Two little black boys this day rode my horse, which I led; and one of them showed his gratitude to me by bringing me as a present, his allowance of dates, tied up in the tail of his shirt. At 5.45. came through Hormut t’Mohalla, خرموت المخالّه, or “the pass of the army,” to a broad plain, on which we stopped at six, having from 2.30. steered north seven miles. The slaves were very much fatigued, and with great difficulty came up with us. I always observed that the females were much less exhausted by travelling than the males; the former walked together and sung in chorus, nearly the whole day, which enlivened them and beguiled the way. Lizari had four little girls, of whom the eldest was about eight, and the youngest four years old; these children were continually playing and running after each other, yet the smaller one was always as lively after a day’s march, as at first setting out: she was apparently so little fatigued in an evening, as to be frequently reproved for keeping every one awake by her gambols. There was a merry boy too, who frequently kept the Kafflé in a roar of laughter, by mimicking the auctioneer who sold him, and several of his countrymen, at the Morzouk market a few weeks before.
Tuesday, 7th March, very cloudy close weather.—At 7.30. set out over very uneven stony ground and small sand hills, which at half a mile to the eastward, increased in size and formed a large belt of sand, about nine miles in length:—observed very distant mountains in the same direction. The road was over a bed of gypsum, partially covered in several places, by sand and white snail shells. At three passed the natural turret called Bazeen برزين, and came to the Wadey Klia قليه. We had proceeded north to Bazeen, and from it N.N.W. Myriads of sand flies distressed us very much by the sharpness of their bite. At seven we stopped at the wells and castle of Bonjem بنجم, having made thirty-five miles. We were all on the alert this night, having been informed that a party of Orfilly, or Arabs of Benioleed, were encamped in a small cluster of date trees which were in sight from the well, and robbing every one that passed. They had tapped all the palms, and were living on lackbi, and the flesh of any stray camels they could find. A little artful boy, under pretence of wanting a skin of water, came to the well to reconnoitre, and on being questioned, gave some very suspicious answers; however, I suppose the report he made of our being constantly on guard secured us a quiet rest. A very heavy dew fell during the night; and we were aware that wild animals were prowling round us.
Wednesday, March 8th.—Having filled four days’ water, at twelve went on and encamped about four miles N.W. of Bonjem, to let the camels feed on the bushes, which were in great number. The day was very sultry, and the slaves had oil given them to grease themselves. I observed, that near the wells of Bonjem, the ground swarms with a species of tick, which attacks man and beast, is very nimble, and causes severe pain by its bite.
Thursday, March 9th.—We set off at eight in a very thick fog, which rendered it impossible to distinguish objects at a few yards distance. Our road was over a hilly gravelly ground, and we passed one or two Wadeys thickly set with bushes of talhh. Here I had an attack of hemma, and remained behind with my horse, that I might lie down and relieve the pain. At about one o’clock, being a little recovered, I mounted and followed the track of the camels, but soon lost it in a gravelly plain. I proceeded, in hopes of again finding it; but as we were amongst steep hills, all of nearly the same appearance, I could form no idea between which of them the Kafflé had taken its course. I ascended the highest hill to look for it, straining my eyes in all directions, but to no purpose: I succeeded, however, in galloping back to the spot where I had last seen the tracks, and fired my gun, but nothing replied to me, or broke on the awful stillness around. My situation now became very alarming, and my spirits began to sink, when I viewed the fearful prospect before me, which, if I failed to regain the Kafflé, threatened me with the horrors of a lingering and painful death.
I examined my saddle-bags, and found that they contained not a single article of provision; my powder-horn had unfortunately been left on my camel; my note-book, however, was luckily in my possession, and on looking over it, I found, what was of some importance to me, that I had marked all the back bearings. I knew, that whether I advanced or retraced my steps, I should equally be two days distant from a well, and was aware that, even in reaching one, I might not have power to get at the water; my horse, at any rate, was not likely to survive two days’ privation of it. In this extremity, and not knowing what direction to take, I found my only resource to preserve life, supposing I obtained water, would be to kill my poor animal, and to subsist on his flesh, with the hope of being, in the meantime, relieved by some passing traveller: but this chance was very remote, the road we were pursuing being but little frequented; and as to any other means of extricating myself, I could devise none. After some time passed in reflecting on what might probably be my melancholy fate if left on the desert, a sudden impulse induced me to trust to the guidance of my horse, and, giving him the reins, I allowed him to take what course he chose, little imagining how nearly I approached the end of my difficulties. Whilst proceeding on my way, almost hopeless of extricating myself, and in a direction quite contrary to that which I had fancied to be the right one, I unexpectedly perceived that I had crossed the track, and was actually in a Wadey full of talhh trees, bearing evident marks of having been recently passed over by our camels. Following this sure guide, I soon found myself once more in the safe path, and my feelings at such unlooked for and providential deliverance may be more easily imagined than described. As I was riding slowly along, I discovered, out of the track, a poor Negress lying under a bush, where, overcome by fatigue and illness, she had stopped behind, unregarded, to die.
Having myself so recently escaped the horrors of a lingering death, I felt tenfold commiseration for this poor helpless being; and having with some difficulty placed her on my horse, I took her quietly along; at such a pace indeed, as much to retard coming up with my people, whom I found in great alarm about me. They feared I must have strayed on the desert, or have fallen on the road from sickness; and such were their kind feelings towards me, that they sent a camel and a supply of water, provisions, and a carpet, with two men, to seek for me in all directions. I met them at 5.30. soon after they set out, and found that the Kafflé had, on my account, stopped for the night two hours before.
When I took the slave to her master, who was not aware of her being missing, he gave me no thanks, nor allowed the poor exhausted creature any food or refreshment; and had I not been present to prevent it, he would no doubt have added to her sufferings by a severe beating. We had made, as nearly as I could judge from our winding roads, N. 15°. E. twenty-five miles.
Friday, March 10th.—At seven we set off; road over small stony hillocks. As Hadge Mohammed, who was master of the Negress, preferred riding his camel to letting her do so, I gave her up my horse. We passed through many Wadeys full of bushes—a light shower at noon, with the wind from the northward—saw several hares; and many snakes, not venemous, were killed by the people. I astonished them by taking one or two live ones in my hand: saw a very large herd of antelopes, which I was silly enough to follow; but, of course, without reaching them. At five stopped, having made about twenty miles N.E. We had a fine night, with much dew. The poor Negress was very ill and weak, although in no pain; her master pretended to be convinced that she was only affecting sickness, and beat her accordingly.
Saturday, March 11th.—At 7.30. A.M. we set out; road as yesterday. At noon came to the Wadey Zemzem زمزم, in which we found a well, of apparently Roman workmanship, and 84 feet in depth: the water was salt, and very putrid. This Wadey is of great length, running N.E. and S.W. Gherzeh is situated in it, and it runs to the sea at Tawurgha. We made eight or nine miles north; my poor Maherry was again very lame; put another sandal on him: fine warm day. A general washing and greasing took place with the whole Kafflé.
Sunday, 12th March.—We proceeded at 7.30. A.M.; road as yesterday: had a stock of water for three days. I saw a large bird resembling a goose in form; body and neck white, wings of a dusky white, barred with dark brown; it escaped me in the bushes. At four came to a stony plain, with small shrubs. At six stopped, having made about twenty miles N.W. by N.: thick oppressive weather, with swarms of sand flies; the slaves very much fatigued. I saw several coveys of partridges, and shot some birds resembling thrushes in size, but with longer tails, and of a reddish brown colour: they fly in flocks, and in their restlessness and twittering much resemble sparrows. We lay amongst some bushes, and secured our animals, as we were on the centre of a desert, and feared their straying.