I succeeded in this way in getting a second
photograph of them, and then, as my film had unfortunately
come to an end, after buying a few
curiosities from them, and promising to come again
on the morrow to see some weapons which those of
their number who were absent in the neighbouring
desert, guarding the flocks belonging to the camp,
possessed, and would probably be disposed to sell, I
took my leave, and returned to G-omar.
On our arrival we found that El Ayed and El
Haj, instead of staying, as I had told them, in the
caravanserai to look after my things, had locked the
door of my room, and gone off on the spree into the
town, taking the key with them. We returned
probably rather sooner than they expected, for we
found them still absent from their posts. As they
possessed the only means of opening the door, we
were compelled to wait in the courtyard until they
put in an appearance.
It was not for nearly an hour after our arrival
that they did so. They had evidently been up to
something disreputable, for they were both in most
excellent spirits. El Ayed in particular appeared to
have been in his element. One side of his face was
covered with scratches, his knuckles were bleeding,
and he had a magnificent black eye, of which he
seemed to be extremely proud. He seldom went into
an oasis without gratifying his pugnacity, and generally
emerged from the ordeal more or less mauled.
I blew them up on my return until my Arabic
came to an end, and then deputed Aissa to continue
the operation for me, well knowing that I had
placed the work in competent hands. Aissa,
nothing loth, entered into the task, and performed
it with such good will that I was kept awake far
into the night by the sound of the wrangling. between
him and El Ayed.
The following day opened with such a blinding
sandstorm that, as I knew it would be impossible to
take any photographs in such an atmosphere, I
decided to postpone my promised visit, and to spend
the day instead in some very necessary mending of
my clothes.
Edemeetha lay only a short distance off the
road to Biskra. My time was limited, and as I did
-not wish to spend another night in the caravanserai
at Gomar, which, owing to the number of sand-lice
which infested the floors, was rather an uncomfortable
one, I on the morrow sent the camels slowly on
towards Biskra in the charge of the now penitent
El Haj and El Ayed, and started with Aissa for the
Tawarek camp, intending as soon as we had concluded
our visit to hurry after the other members of
the caravan and catch them up before nightfall.
On approaching the camp we were at once
struck with its deserted appearance. A few small
children, who, recognising us, came running up
begging for flous, and one or two women, who on
seeing us immediately bolted into the big tent, were
apparently its only inhabitants. Not a man was to
be seen.
As we drew nearer, however, a young Tawarek,
wearing a white Arab burnous over his black
clothing, came forward to meet us, and soon a
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