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I02
CHAPTER IX.
IN THE HEART OF THE DESERT-OCEAN.
The next day we travelled close upon 12 miles, the storm
keeping us compan}^ all day ; while the light, buoyant
sand, whipped unceasingly by the wind, streamed out
from the crest of every dune in the shape of gigantic plumes
and camels’ tails. Everything was smothered with sand ;
it even made an uncomfortable garment next the skin ;
it
gritted between the teeth when we clenched them. In
fact, particles of sand are dropping out of the leaves of
my note-book now, as I turn them over, four years after
the journey was taken. The day after Christmas Day the
ground was unfavourable, heavy sand predominating.
Every time that we toiled up to the top of a sandy pass we
found ourselves on the upper ledge of a straight slope going
down at a break-neck angle into the next hayir. The camels
let themselves glide helplessly down without trying to guide
themselves. The sand, once it started slipping under their
weight, poured like a cascade down the steep slope, and
carried the animals stiff-legged with it. But by this they
had grown accustomed to that method of descent, and no
longer lost their balance. At the same time, it was very
comical to see the entire caravan sliding down in that
headlong way, like schoolboys tobogganing down a steep
hillside. Our fuel was running out ; we had to husband
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