BITTER WATERS 215

second, similarly dead, was all but hidden from view by the
covering sand, while the third we found—somewhat to our
surprise for 'Ali had reported it dead—merely covered over
in the usual way. It was accordingly opened up for the
watering of the camels and was found to be about 20 feet
deep. It is a brine well and is regarded as potable though
more potent than that of Naifa, wherefore my companions
eschewed it as we had full skins of the latter to last us till
Shanna.

To ease the strain of our recent disagreements and to en-
courage a sharp look-out I had on our arrival offered a
reward of 10 dollars for the first man to spot our returning
envoys. But night came upon us with never a sign of them,
and the only incident of the late afternoon was the arrival
of Salim and Hasan, hungry, thirsty and disgruntled after
their long, vain search for Oryx. Next day—the last of
our tryst with Zayid—the dune tops were manned by eager
searchers while Farraj, stealing a march upon his fellows,
borrowed my glasses and went out far afield to win the dollars.
The afternoon wore on without result, and I was beginning
to resign myself to the prospect of another wasted day, when
Farraj came running into camp a little before sunset. Good
news ! he cried, I bring you good news of the coming of
Zayid and 'Ali. I saw them afar off yonder and I came
quickly to tell you. Come they alone ? I asked, or are there
others with them ? I saw but two riders, he replied. And
a few minutes later I saw Zayid and 'All riding down through
the narrow entrance of the depression.

They had been to Bir Hadi and Shanna and Turaiwa and
scoured all the countryside, but nowhere had they seen any
signs of Arabs. So they had returned empty-handed. You
should have gone further, I suggested, into the dunes of
Qa'amiyat. Perhaps you would have found the tribes there
hunting the Oryx ! It was a bow drawn at a venture, but
their sudden, startled, guilty look suggested that the shaft
had gone home. They had visited the wells, it is true, and
had drawn blank, but they had spent several days seeking
not Arabs but Oryx. I was only afraid that their report
would augment the general desire to get back home as soon