by closing the mouth with a goat-skin stretched
over a light framework of wood. This lid was then
covered over with sand, so that no one, unless he
knew of the exact position of the well or actually
trod upon it, could have the faintest clue to its
whereabouts.
The Sahara is said to be by no means so destitute
of water as it is usually supposed to be. The
Tawareks are said to have placed landmarks, after
the manner of a gypsies’ ‘ patteran,’ readable only by
themselves, throughout the great desert to indicate
the position of their wells, and it is asserted that by
means of these guides they will always be able to
find some hidden hassi (well) within a day or two’s
journey from any point in the Sahara.
The concealment of wells is now forbidden by
the French. Accordingly they are now left uncovered,
with the result that, unless they are constantly
cleaned out, they soon become choked with
sand.
Fortunately Hassi Mamar was a well in constant
use at that time by some nomads encamped in the
neighbouring desert. We found two of them,
whose camp lay concealed in some small depression
near by among the desert scrub, drawing water
from it when we arrived.
Some enterprising person had constructed a
rough trough of sun-baked mud by the side of the
well for the purpose of watering camels. The
nomads had brought with them a sort of bucket,
consisting of a bag of leather with a cord attached,
for raising the water, and volunteered to draw it for