the plundering of the dromedaries and the lives of his caterans
by a razzia. The fellows set off after nightfall towards the
upper ravine, distant some two hours' slow march: they must there
have had a pleasant, refreshing sleep; and they did not return,
doubtless by order, till late next morning. This gave the Shaykhs
a good opportunity of fearing greatly for the safety of their
people, and of delaying our march as much as possible.

Resuming the road at 2.30 p.m., we entered the western
prolongation of the Wady el-Birkah. Here it becomes the Wady
Aba'l-'Agag ('Ajaj), and preserves that name till it anastomoses
with the Hamz. There have been some wells in the bed; but all are
now filled up, and water must be carried from El-Birkah. We
camped at a noble reach, garnished with a mimic forest of old
tamarisks, whose small voices, united in chorus, passably
imitated the mighty murmur of the sea. Our day's march had
covered a score of miles; hard work, considering the condition of
the mules.

After a splendid night, we set out London-wards at five a.m.,
April 8th, delayed, as has been said, by the politike of the
Shaykhs. Moreover, one of the party, whose motto should have been
halt's maul, had remarked that the camels appeared fewer than
before--another reason for stopping to count them. Half an hour
placed us at a lower and a grander carrefour, abounding in fuel
and seducing with tamarisk-shade: its water is known as the Mayat
el-Badi'ah. Presently the hilly encasement of the Wady el-'Ajaj
ended with El-'Adra, a red butte to the left, and the Jebel
el-Yakhmum on the right. This knob was copiously veined with
quartz, of which a prodigious depot, explored on the next day,