THE ESTUARIES OF JIBAN 45

rice was served and meanwhile I had become aware of the
tragedy which had befallen my watches. Fortunately we
were within easy reach of Salwa, whose position had been
astronomically determined by Major Cheesman in 1921, and
in due course we would be visiting Jabrin, where I would
again have the advantage of his work in 1924. Our plans
contemplated proceeding from our present camp direct to
Anbak, but it was clearly imperative now that I should visit
Salwa to redeem my unfortunate lapse and my companions
were not averse to an easy day on the morrow. It was agreed
therefore that the main body should make a short march to
Abu Arzila, the next' estuary ' southward, while I should go
down With a small party to Salwa to shoot the sun. We could
then work round to Abu Arzila by way of the rumoured ruins
of Sikak, and the unfortunate accident proved indeed to be a
blessing in disguise. Without it I should have missed the
exploration of a very interesting area which was to provide
me with an important clue for the solving of the problem of
the Jiban estuaries.

By now after four days of riding I had Reached a climax of
stiffness and physical discomfort though in all other respects
I felt exceedingly fit in spite of the fasting and the short
hours of sleep allowed by my multifarious preoccupations—
the daily or nightly writing up of notes, the packing or label-
ling of specimens collected, and the like. It was humiliating
and annoying to be such a cripple, unable to rise without
assistance, and it was generally agreed that I should have a
respite from Al Bahraniya. In consequence of this decision I
rode Sa'dan's camel on the following day and, when we got
into camp after a long outing and a round trip of some 26
miles, I found to my joy and relief that every vestige of my
crippling stiffness had disappeared—never to return. It had
thus taken me five days to acclimatise myself to camel-riding,
which henceforth became an unmixed pleasure. Perhaps
with another mount than Bahraniya I should have achieved
this result more rapidly, for my new steed, smaller, lighter
and more compact, never gave me a moment of discomfort,
though I was sore and stiff enough in all conscience when I
was helped on to her saddle that morning, .