RECUPERATION 289

giving effect to our plan. After the watering of the camels I
suggested that the intended victim should be detached from
the rest of the herd now ready to go to the pastures. I
noticed however that there was a good deal of hesitancy
among my companions, who, one and all, desired the meat.
They awaited Zayid's approval, without which not one of them
would have stretched forth a hand against an animal of Ibn
Jiluwi. Had we not earlier at Wabar abandoned one of the
camels to almost certain death rather than slay it for the pot,
when lameness rendered it unfit to march with us ? Ibn
Jiluwi could have no reason to cavil at that, but he had been
known to visit with his heavy-handed wrath myrmidons
who had lessened the numbers of his stock to appease their
hunger on an expedition. Zayid would not pronounce the
fateful word and the matter hung in the balance. I exerted
all my influence to secure meat for the company and went
as far as to command Abu Ja'sha to do the deed. He hung
back regretfully and I had to argue the point out with
Zayid, whom I assured of my acceptance of full responsi-
bility. His unwilling opposition slowly relaxed. Abu Ja'sha
sought out the intended victim and led her to the kitchen
camp, where her blood soon flowed out upon the sands.
There was much rejoicing in the camp. The skinning of the
beast was the work of a few moments, and a portion of the
meat was handed to the herdsmen to take away to the
pastures. The camels trailed off out of the Naifa hollow into
the desert, while the men left behind in camp concentrated
whole-heartedly on the various functions of butcher and cook*
I accepted a tit-bit rapidly roasted in the ashes of the fire,
but reserved my main energies for the meal which Zaid was
soon getting ready. My companions, however, spent mart
of the morning cooking and eating choice portions. And Al
Aqfa, the Saiuqi bitch which had starved with the seel of us
for nine days, during which she had bad practically nothing
but date-stones, was not forgotten IB the general good
fortune. She must have absolutely go*gad baiaelf with raw
meat for, when I saw her, she was making a pathetic effort
to drag herself towards a bowl of water only a few yards
distant. On reaching it she flopped down on the saod and