JABBIN 105

her appearance on the stage of our wanderings to remain
with us to the end. She shared our simple meal and went
off into the darkness with her master to seek out his camp.

The next afternoon, on my return from a tour of inspec-
tion, I found Jabir installed with his family in a single booth
of the poorest fashion at a stone's throw from our camp.
Followed by the bitch—Al Aqfa her name—and two wild-
eyed, completely naked children with long, brownish un-
kempt hair, he came over to us carrying a hare—the result
of his day's hunting—and leading a young camel-colt.
Peace be upon you, he murmured at me as 'Ali Jahman
brought him to my tent, and welcome ! See, Al Aqfa has
brought you a hare ; may she bring you many another ! But
take it not ill of us desert folk that our hospitality is meagre.
Would that we had much to offer you, but you see us as we
are. With an understanding glance at 'AM he glided grace-
fully out of the tent towards the colt, which, before I could
understand what was happening, lay struggling on its side in
an expert grip. The next moment its life-blood was gushing
forth upon the sands from a wide slit at the base of its throat.

It was late before we dined that night but the meat was
tender and good with titbits of hare to flavour the meal. I
hope and think that the little family, sitting apart in the dark
tent, was not forgotten in the joy of our feasting. Next
day I was permitted to photograph the tent with its
occupants posed in front of it, but it was a dismal, misty
.morning and the result of the operation was not very
brilliant. I had secreted the princely sum of 20 dollars (about
£1) in the folds of my mantle and, as I took my leave of the
party, I slipped the silver into the fist of the larger of the
naked sons of the house. He ran with it to his mother who
invoked charming blessings on my head. And so we parted
from our last contact with the world of men to see no more of
humanity till 53 days later, when we came up out of the
Empty Quarter into the inhabited world at Sulaiyil.

In the keeping of God ! I said to Jabir as we parted, but
see that you forget not the box. Deliver it even into the
hands of Ibn Jiluwi when yoii come to the Hasa—there is
nought in it but pebbles, yet I value it. Fear not, he replied