RETREAT 281

make. A butterfly tempted me out into the open but I soon
returned to shelter, and slumbered until the call to prayer
roused the camp to action. Shortly before 5 p.m. we loaded
up and marched off—once more an united company. The
country was much as before though the hollow dunes faced
north instead of south-east. An hour later the sun sank below
the horizon behind us and we halted to pray. In the gloam-
ing we marched again, over the same scenery of long ridges
separated by wide valleys, with Jupiter to mark our general
direction. Zayid rode stripped to the waist to enjoy the
coolth and we marched for an hour and a half to the edge of
Khillat Adraj, whence the baggage-train went straight on
while my small party of six halted for a night's rest. We had
made good use of February's extra day, having covered more
than 30 miles, but something like 50 more, so far as we could
judge, still remained while our water was all but exhausted.
I lay down to rest without thought of anything else and was
soon fast asleep. My companions made coffee and milk but
did not wake me, so I remained supperless and it was 2.30
a.m. when I was roused for the long march before us. It was a
delicious night, cool and windless, and the waning moon was
just above the horizon.

Two hours later we halted for prayers within the borders of
Hadh ŁAin Sala, and there we used up the very last of our
water in a final effort to brew courage and endurance. The
carefully hoarded tea-leaves of yesterday were produced by
Sa'dan and worked up with water and milk for the fifth time.
Coffee was of course indispensable and with the little that
remained of the water, after these primary calls on it had
been satisfied, Salih sat apart at a second fire and cooked us a
modest breakfast of rice liberally buttered from the leather
jtig he carried at his saddle-bow. That certainly filled me with
dbeerftd strength and once more we started, Salih taking ad-
vantage of his successful and much appreciated cooking to in-
gratiate himself with me once more. Did ycm like that rice ?
he asked; I cooked it for your sake and for the sake of the
Amir (i.e. Zayid). I seek ever to sertB you betfc. I admitted
that I had enjoyed my meal, perhaps rath^grudgiiigly, for I
have never been able to appreciate and oarer encourage this