nd the level of the desert was constantly
ascending[79] I have no doubt that the level of the interior of the
desert is lower than the bed of the river.

During the passage over these hills several of the camels gave out, that
of my black slave among the rest.[80] Four hours after sunrise we came to
a valley, where there was here and there some herbs of the desert, where
we stopped to let the camels eat, they having fasted since we left El
Medina.

We were obliged to look among the rocks for shelter from the sun, each
one arranging himself as well as he could to eat durra bread and drink
warm water, and sleep as soundly as possible. During the course of last
night we fell in with a caravan coming from Assuan; we pressed round
them to buy something to eat; we asked for dates and flour to make
bread, but they had nothing of the kind that they could afford to part
with.

We stayed at the rock before mentioned till the middle of the afternoon.
On awaking from sleep, I observed two of the Arabs of our caravan busily
employed about our guide. They were a long time engaged in frizzing
and plaiting his hair, and finished the operation by pouring over it a
bowlful of melted mutton suet, which made his head quite white. I asked
for the meaning of this operation at this time; they told me that
we should be at the river to-morrow morning, and that our guide was
adorning himself to see and salute his friends there. He appeared to be
highly satisfied with the efforts of his hair-dressers to make him look
decent, and it must be confessed that he made a very buckish appearance.

As soon as our guide had finished his toilette, he mounted his dromedary
and took his post in front, and we set forward. We marched all night
without stopping, which was necessary, as our water was nearly spent,[81]
but which distressed greatly that part of our caravan who had no beast
to ride.[82] These wretched men had hitherto accompanied us all the way on
foot, with little to eat and less to drink. At present they were almost
exhausted with fatigue, hunger and thirst. Every now and then, one or
more of them would throw himself on the sand in despair. The repeated
assurance that the river was near, hour after hour, became less and less
capable of rousing them to exertion, and the whip was at length applied
to make them get up and go on.[83] They demanded water immediately, which
we were too short of ourselves to give them, as we feared every minute
that