to commence eating. A young slave poured a little water on the fingers of our right hands, we drew around the dish, sat down on our left heels, took up the rice with pieces of meat, and with three fingers of our right hands kneaded it into mouthfuls which we swallowed almost without chewing. Our native companions thrust into their mouths pieces of food larger than hens’ eggs and after about four minutes had eaten their fill and, holding their right hands over the dish, waited for us to satisfy our hunger. As soon as we had finished, we all rose and went to our places. Rifʻat and Tûmân, my European companions, whispered to me that they were hungry. After us, ʻAwde invited the second row, then the third; and when the meat and rice were eaten up he had the dish filled for the fourth time, so that nothing remained of the whole camel save a mere heap of bones, which were gnawed at by some of the poor Šarârât. After midnight we left the tent and went to our baggage, where we lay down to rest.
RIDE TOWARD ḪABRA MINWA’
Early on Sunday morning, May 28, 1910, ʻAwde brought me two camels, and, shortly after, the other chiefs also arrived with camels, so that we were supplied with a sufficient number of animals for mounts and as baggage carriers. ʻAwde informed me that we should proceed in a northerly direction in order to approach the rain pond Ḫabra Minwa’. The Ḥwêṭât struck their tents, loaded them on the camels, and waited for the chief. Almost all the other tents were already disposed of, but his still remained untouched. Though ʻAwde shouted abusive words at his slaves, no one listened to him, so he was finally reduced to pulling out the poles and rolling up the tent himself. He was then joined by his people, who packed up his supplies and tent; at 5.80 we moved off.
There was no order on the march. Each one rode or drove his camel however and wherever he wished. ʻAwde was continually avoiding the pack camels, turning off first to the right and then to the left in order to keep clear of the throng. At first I rode with him, as I wished to discuss various matters; but we had scarcely begun to talk before some ragged servant or herdsman would thrust his camel between us, followed by a second and a third rider, compelling us to ride
