Medisa,
February 7th, 1891.
The Arabs were right, as a thunderstorm broke over us at bed-time last night. It lasted till this morning, and the lightning was very bright. We sat at our tent doors for a long time watching it playing around the mountains. The night was very hot and sultry, but there were only a few big drops of rain falling every now and again, and occasionally a heavy gust of wind. Rain is badly wanted here to fill up the wells, as there has been none for two years. The camels we sent to Kenneh on February 1st should be back by Monday with mails and provisions; but as there is no game here we have decided to leave to-morrow morning, and to meet the camels on their way here. We shall then be able to catch the steamer to Luxor on Friday 13th. We told our camel sheikh this evening, but he immediately began to raise objections, by saying we should miss the two camels from Kenneh, &c. This man has given us a lot of trouble all the way, though we have treated him very well. He is extremely greedy, and thinks we don’t know the road. However, we insisted, and ordered him to have the caravan ready by 7 A.M. This made him furious, and he said we might break his head before we should have the camels. His object is to delay us as long as possible, so as to get an extra day’s pay for the camel hire. We said nothing, and left him.
Desert,
February 8th, 1891.
The kurbatch[20] was produced at an early hour this morning, and had a magical effect on Salaama (the camel sheikh). All his threats of last night vanished, and he ran about after his camels and men, and got the caravan in order in the shortest time on record. Nothing like a little persuasion!
Our water-skins were frozen hard last night, and the necks had to be thawed before we could get water out. At about midday we made out our two returning camels in the far distance, much to our delight and Salaama’s disgust. I hope he feels what a fool he has been. I jumped off my camel and ran to meet them. The saddle-bags were emptied of their contents—oranges, bread, rice, jam, candles, eggs, and letters. We have now ample provision for the rest of the journey. We should have been hard up if we had not met our relief camels, as our commissariat department contained one dhurra loaf and one box of Cornish pilchards. Did twenty miles to-day.
Kasr el Jinn,
February 9th, 1891.
Twenty-miles done to-day in a march of nine hours, with half an hour for luncheon. My camel has a sore back.