A SEVERE SAND-STORM. 29 country where there was a greater rainfall : otherwise it wore much the same aspect, except for occasional rt7/;;;/-palms Cucifcra T/iebaica), a new feature in the landscape. A long halt being made in the middle of the day, darkness overtook us ; and, losing what there was in the way of a path, we began to think the night would be spent in the open without any dinner. Our servants lighted great fires to guide us to the tents, and fired shots, so that at last camp was reached, but very late, as we had gone a considerable distance out of our way, the direct road having left the telegraph-poles une distance on its right. As a rule, the camel-path and the V ire kept close together.

In the night a tremendous wind got up ; and all hands were busy driving in extra tent-pegs, and tightening the ropes. The sand blew about in all directions, and half smothered us. Sleep was impossible, and I never spent a more disagreeable night. The name of this enchanting spot was Ellegua.

The following morning Jules complained of a bad attack of vomiting and diarrhoea. Our men declared that they must stop until noon to water and feed their camels, so that we did not feel that we had gained much by the long march of the previous day. The water was three miles away, in a gorge in the mountain. In order to hurry their movements, two or three of us faced the blinding storm, and went with them to the water ; and, what with, the heat and sand, it was any thing but a pleasant task. Had this operation, however, not been superintended, we should have been at Ellegua all day : as it was, we managed to get eight miles farther on our way, and pitched our tents near Khor Langeb.

The sand-storm continued, and we had the greatest difficulty in finding a spot where the ground was sufficiently firm to