the cool fhade o f the large trees, invited by; the pleafant
breeze from the north, which feemed to be merely local,
confined to this fmall grove, created probably by the vicinity
o f the water, and the agitation we had oeeafioned
in it.
In this helplefs ftate to which we were reduced, I alone
continued not weakened by the fimoom, nor overcome by
ileep. A G anjar Arab, who drove an afs laden with l'alt, took
this opportunity o f Healing one o f the mules, together w ith
a lance jn d fhield belonging to one -of my fervants. The
country was fo woody, and he had fo much advantage o f
us in point o f time, and we were in fo weak and difcoura-
g ed a ftate, that it was thought in vain to purfue him one
ftep. So he got off with his booty, unlefs he was intercepted
by fome o f thofe wild beafts, which he would find everywhere
in his way, whether he returned to Ras el Feel,
o r the frontiers o f Kuara, his own country.
■ H a v in g refreihed ourfelves with a little ileep, the next
thing was to fill ou rgirba s, or Ikins, with water. But before
we attempted this, I thought to try an experiment o f
mixing about twenty drops o f fpirit o f nitre in a horn o f
water about the fize o f an ordinary tumbler. This I found
greatly refreihed me, though my headach ftill continued.
It had a much better effeft upon my fervants, to whom I
gave i t ; for they all feemed immediately recovered, and
their fpirits much more fo, from the reflection that they
had with them a remedy they could rruft to, i f they ihould
again be fo unfortunate as to meet this poifonous wind o r
vapour.
On the 2,1ft, we fet out from Ralhid at two o’clock in the
morning, and at a little paft eight arrived at Imhanzara, having
gone moftly N. W. to north and by weft. This, too, is
a ftation of. the Arabs Daveina; and there had been here*
large pools o f water, the cavities, apparently dug by the hands
o f men, were from twenty to thirty feet deep,, and not lefs
than fixty yards long. The water was juft then drying up;
and flood only about h a lf a. foot in depth, in the bottom o f
one o f the pools. The borders o f the bafons were thick fet
with acacia and jujeb-trees but the fruit o f the latter was
drying upon the ftones, and had fallen ihriveiled in great
quantities upon the ground. We gathered about a couple o f
pecks, w hich was a very great refrefhment to us. The fruit,
though retaining a very, iharp-acid, tafte, is mixed with-a
fweetnefs-not unlike the tamarind:; and which, it communicated
to water, upon a han dfu l o f the dry fruit being fteep-
ed therein for ha lf an hour.. The ordinary jujeb in Barba-
ry is oblong.like an olive ; this, is perfectly round like the
cherry, but fomething fmaller,. The tree- is. thorny, and differs
in nothing from.the other, but only in the ihape o f the:
fruit. When dried, it i s . of, a golden colour and is here
called Nabcaj heing the principal fuftenance o f the Arabs,
till thefe pools are dry, when they are obliged to feek other
food, and .other, water, at fome more.diftant ftation..
T his day, being the fifth o f our journey, we had gone"
about five hours very diligently, though, confidering the
weak ftate we were, in, I do not think we advanced more
than feven or eight miles ; and it was to me very vifible,.
that all the animals, mules, camels, and horfes,were affeifted
as much.as we were b y the fimoom. They drank repeatedly,.
2i and!