CHAPTER XV.

We leave Ma Ambasah.— Arrival of Mahomet. — Doubts of the Base.— A Picturesque Scene. — Sport, or Exploration? — The Medicine-Chest. — Death of Mahomet. — Two of the Party start for Amedeb. — Difficulty of keeping Camels. — The " Guffer " Disease.— Dilatoriness of the Arabs.— Poverty of the Base. — The Barea Tribe.

All our servants and camel-drivers declared they would not remain any longer on Khor Ma Ambasah ; and we ourselves found it impossible to do so, although we greatly regretted turning our backs on what looked like an excellent locality for sport. Had we attempted to remain, our men would all, or nearly all, have deserted, probably taking the camels with them, and we should have had no means of transport. Accordingly we decided on leaving the next morning.

Very early, and before we had started another party in search of poor Mahomet, we heard a cry that he was coming into camp ; and running outside the zariba, down to the khor we saw the poor fellow. A more dreadful or pitiable spectacle I never beheld. A fine, healthy-looking fellow when he left the camp the morning before, he was but the wreck of his former self. When I first saw him, he was crouching on his haunches, in the manner of these people when they wish to rest ; and his face had become quite drawn and thin. He had taken his sole garment, — some yards of cotton cloth, which he wore ordinarily round his loins and across his shoulders,— to support his entrails, which he further did with his arms. He had been 127