558 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER
they did, it was in whifpers, by which I eafdy gueffed their difcourfe was not favourable to me, or elfe that they were increafing each others fears, by vain fuggeftions calculated to fink each others fpirits ftill further, but from which no earthly good could poflibly refult. I called them together, and both reprimanded and exhorted them in the flrongeft manner I could ; I bade them attend to me, who had nearly loft my voice by the fimoom, and defired them to look at my face, fo fwelled as fcarcely to permit me to fee; my neck covered with blifters, my feet fwelled and inflamed, and bleeding with many wounds. In anfwer to the lamen- tation that the water was exhaufted, and that we were upon the point of dying with thirft, I ordered each man a gourd full of water more than he had the preceding day, and fliewed them, at no great diilance, the bare, black, and fliarp point of the rock Chiggre, wherein was the well at which we were again to fill our girbas, and thereby baniih the fear of dying by thirft in the defert. I believe I never was at any time more eloquent, and never had eloquence a more fudden efFedt. They all protefted and declared their con- cern chiefly arofe from the fituation they fav/ me in ; that they feared not death or hardlhip, provided I would fubmit a little to their direftion in the taking a proper care of my- fclf. They intreated me to ufe one of the camels, and throw ofiT the load that it carried, that it would eafe me, of the wounds in my feet, by riding at leaft part of the day. This I pofitively refufed to do, but recommended to them to be ftrong of heart, and to fpare the camels for the laft re- fource, if any fliould be taken ill and unable to walk any
longer.
This
