t that he came into camp.

We then descended slowly between roundish sand-ridges to the great
Melleha, El Mestebak--"Melleha of the wall-seat," where the deep sand
ceases. At a spot close to the entrance of the Melleha a little water
may usually be obtained by digging, but our camel-drivers, after trying
in vain to get some, had to content themselves with cooling their arms
and feet with the moist sand. This Melleha is of great length,
interrupted in one place only by a small saddle-shaped sand-hill, and is
bounded on both sides by ridges of sand. It gradually slopes into a
great flat plain with but one slight elevation in the centre, near which
lies the grave of a soldier of the time of Ibrahim Pacha, marked by
wooden pegs. This spot is also frequently used by the Bedouins as a
burial-place. Beyond this part the Melleha increases in width, and the
enclosing ridges become gradually lower, until a view is obtained
over those to the right of the extended Jebel el Magara. Only at the
time of heavy rainfalls does this Melleha contain much water. The sandy
tract which follows contains a great deal of white-blossomed broom,
which also grows further on in abundance.

[Illustration: JEBEL EL MAGARA (TAKEN FROM EL BREJ).]

[Illustration: KOUBBA EL MAGARA.]

The wind having gradually abated, a cool afternoon breeze sprang up from
the direction of the sea. "Riyeh Bahri! Riyeh Bahri" (sea breezes),
cried our camel-drivers, delighted. It was not long before the Koubba of
Magara was within sight. Cheered with the thought of the approaching end
of our journey, we pushed briskly on, and at five o'clock reached the
camp, which had been pitched close to Bir el Magara--"Well of the
visit," in a hollow entirely surrounded by sand-hills, similar to that
of Bir el Abd.

Situated upon rising ground at a short distance from the spot is the
half ruinous Koubba of the Sheik Suleiman, built about sixty years ago
of fossiliferous limestone, in which shells of _Cardium edule_ are
particularly prominent. On the side next to the sea is a pointed arch.
In the interior is a simple tomb covered with a linen cloth, an
inscription in the recess of the outer window, a green flag, and two
white bannerets. There are two papers bearing inscriptions affixed to
the wall, which is also painted in many places with red letters and
several crosses.

Not far from the Koubba is the cottage occupied by the telegraph people,
natives of Cairo, who showed themselv