which we gathered from the Arabs whom we encountered
on our way.
During the course of the afternoon before our
arrival there we met the camel postman who acts
as mail-courier between Tougourt and El Wad, and
learnt from him that this caravanserai was only
some three hours further on; so when shortly afterwards
we passed a small intermediate borj, as we all
felt in good going order, and expected about nightfall
to reach the larger and more comfortable one of
more modem date, I decided not to stop.
Probably the camel postman had misunderstood
our question, and, instead of stating how long it
would take us to reach this place on foot, had
informed us of the length of time which it had
taken him to cover the distance on his mehari—a
very different matter. At all events, whether owing
to this cause or not, there was clearly a mistake
somewhere, for at sunset, when we had calculated
upon arriving at our destination for the night, we
found ourselves already rather done up by an extra
long day’s journey through the heavy sand and still
floundering about among the dunes, with no caravanserai
to be seen.
As the borj was not in sight, we made a halt to
take some food, and then continued leisurely on,
expecting every minute to sight our destination.
At eight o’clock no caravanserai was to be seen.
Fortunately the moon was nearly full, and, as the
sand was almost white, the night was all but as
light as the day.
Nine o’clock came, and still no borj. At ten