SHAK2JA 229

Sala-Ziqirt tract to Shanna. From here the line would
have run east to Muqshin, whence it would have worked
northward along the western foot of the Oman mountains
to rejoin the present Persian Gulf in the neighbourhood of
Masandam. Such a line is of course largely a matter of
conjecture but may surely be regarded provisionally as
being in general accord with the known facts until other
sections of this vast unknown area are traversed and
examined by future explorers,

A gentle north-east breeze, soft and warm, breathed over
us that afternoon as I wandered up the valley towards our
grazing camels to seek out Muhammad, always a willing ally
in my designs on the elusive lizards and birds of the desert.
My shot-gun being now hopelessly out of action, I was
reduced to using a pocket revolver on the tiny targets pre-
sented by small birds, distant and restless. I had just missed
a shrike—the only one seen during the journey—when from
afar off towards the north-east a rifle-shot rang out clearly in
the still air. I imagined that one of my companions had per-
haps fired at a hare for the pot, but we were soon undeceived.
We were about a mile from the camp, and the movements of
our distant companions left little doubt that the shot had
been fired as an alarm-signal. There seemed to be a general
movement towards the ridge beyond our tents, and Muham-
mad was able to interpret the raucous sounds emitted in our
direction as orders to drive in the camels. In a moment the
quiet peaceful valley seemed to be alive with human activity,
and I helped Muhammad to round up the nearest camels
while 'All did the same for those further away. Slowly we
moved towards the tents trying to interpret, as we went, the
significance of the little knots of our companions occupying
scattered points of vantage some distance beyond them or
moving hither and thither under cover of the dune-ridges.
Leaving Muhammad to drive in the animals to camp, I struck
across the valley to ascertain the cause of the commotion
from a group of men occupying the summit of a great dune.
The warning had, it appeared, been fired by Farraj who, as he
kept watch, had spotted three men riding towards Shanna
from the eastward. If only he had remained hidden and