o f indifference about life, were the immediate effe&s upon
u s ; and I began now, feeing the condition o f m y camels,
to fear we were all doomed to a fandy grave, and to contemplate
it with fome degree o f refignation. At h a lf paft
eight in the evening we alighted in a fandy flat, where there
was great ftore o f bent grafs and trees which had a confi-
derable degree o f verdure, a circumftance much in favour
o f our camels. We determined to flop here to give them an
opportunity o f eating their fill where they could find it.
O n the 2?d, at fix o’clock we fet out from the fandy flat,
and one o f the Tueorory was feized with a phrenzy or mad-
nefs. At firft I took it fo r a fit o f the epilepfy, b y the di-
ftortions o f his face, but it wasfoon feen to be o f a more feri-
ous nature. Whether he had been before afflifted with it
I know not. I offered to bleed h im, which he refufed; neither,
though we gave him water, would he drink, but very
moderately. He rolled upon the ground, and moaned, often
repeating two or three words w hich I did not underftand.
He refufed to continue his journey, o r rife from where he
lay, fo that we were obliged to leave him to his fortune.
We went this day yery diligently, not remarkably flow nor
fail ; but though our camels, as we thought, had fared well
for thefe two nights, another o f them died about four
o ’clock this afternoon, when we came to Umarack.
I h e r e began to provide for the worft. I faw the fate of
our camels approaching, and that our men grew weak in
proportion; our bread, too, began to fail us, altho’ w eh a d
plenty o f camels fleih in its d e ad ; our water, though in
all appearance wc were to find it more frequently than in
I the
the beginning o f oun journey, was neverthelefs brackifh,
and l'carce ferved the purpofe -to quench our -tMirft ; and,
above alL, the dreadful fimoom had perfeftly exhaufted our
firengthpand brought upon us a degree o f cowardice and
languor that we ftruggled w ith in vain; I therefore, as the
laft effort, began.to throw away every thing weighty I coiild
Spare,; or that was not abfolntfcly neceffaryy inch as all {hells,
fofliles, minerals, and petrefactions that I could get. at, the:
■counter-cafes o f my quadrant, telefcopes, and docki and fe-
ve ra lfuchlik ethin gs. I:
Otrit- cam ¿Is were now-reduced to 'five, and rt drd n ot
Teem that' theft were capable o f continuing their journey
much longer. In that cafe, no remedy remained, but that
each man fhau-ld carry his ow n water and provifions.
Now, as :nO one man could carry the water h e fhouldi
ufe between welli and well, and it was more than probable
thaf^diftatoce would be doubled by fome o f the wells
being found dry,; and i f that was not the cafe, yet,'as i t was
impoilible Vfar;a man to carry h is provifions who could not
walk'without1 any-burden at all, our.fitnation feemed to be
moil dcfperate.
T h e Biihareen alone-feemed to keep np his ftrength,
and was in excellent fpirits. He had attached himfelf, in
a particular maimer, to me, - and with a part o f that very
fcanty rag which he had round his waift he had made a
wrapper, very artificially, according to the manner his
countrymen the Biihareen praftice on fuch occafions. This
had greatly defended my fect in the day, but the pain
occafioned by the cold in the night was really fcarce faffer-
able. I offered to free him from the confinement o f h is left
V ol. IV. ‘ 4 E hand,