The Turquoise Cup, and, the Desert

  II

  The next morning the departing caravan had many visitors. The merchantsfrom the arcades came to see that their ventures were properly loaded.They passed comments upon the camels as Englishmen and Americans doupon horses in the paddock or the show-ring. Some they criticised, somethey praised, but they were of one mind as to their condition.

  "Their humps are fat," they all agreed; and, as a camel draws upon hishump for food as he draws upon the sacs surrounding his stomach forwater, the condition of the caravan was declared to be _mleh_, which isthe Arabic equivalent for "fit."

  Abdullah was a busy man. He signed manifests, received money, receiptedfor it, felt of surcingles, tightened them, swore at the boys who wereteasing the camels, kicked Ali whenever he came within reach, and inevery way played the _role_ of the business man of the desert.

  Suddenly, from the minaret of the mosque came the cry of the mueddin.The clamor of the market ceased and the Mussulmans fell upon theirknees, facing the east and Mecca. The camels were already kneeling, butthey were facing the north and Biskra.

  While the faithful were praying, the unbelievers from the Soudan fellback and stood silent. A cry to God, no matter what god, silences thepatter of the market-place. Abdullah prayed as a child beseeches hisfather.

  "Give me, Allah, a safe and quick journey. Unchoke the wells at Okba.Strengthen the yellow camel. Make high the price of dates and low theprice of hides; 'tis thus I have ventured. Bring us in safety toBiskra. And bring me to the damsel who sits behind the green lattice.These things I pray--thy sinful son, Abdullah."

  He rose, and the old man stood at his elbow. Abdullah had forgotten hispassengers.

  "This," said the old man, turning to a woman veiled to her eyes, "is mydaughter, and this," he added, "is her maid," and a negress, comely andsmiling, made salaam. "I pray thee," he continued, "to deliver thisinvoice," and he handed Abdullah a paper.

  Abdullah was too busy to notice his passengers. "Let them mount atonce," he said, slipping the paper under his girdle, and he left themto Ali, who came up showing his white teeth.

  There were the last words, instructions, cautions, adieus, and thenAbdullah held up his hand. Ali gave the cry of the camel-driver and theuncouth beasts, twisting and snarling under their loads, struggled totheir feet.

  Another cry, and they began their voyage. They traversed the square,passed the mosque, turned down a narrow street, and in five minutescrossed the line that bounded the oasis, and entered upon the desert.

  Immediately the dun leader took his place at the left and slightly inadvance. The fourth on the right of the dun was the black racer. Hecarried two water-skins and Abdullah's saddle. Then came, in ranks,fifteen camels, Ali riding in the centre. On the right flank rode thetwo women, with enormous red and white cotton sunshades stretchedbehind them. Then, at an interval of six rods, came fifteen camelsunattended. They simply followed the squad in front. The dun leader andthe black racer had lanyards about their necks. The other camels had noharness save the surcingles that held their loads.

  In a panic, a sand-storm, a fusillade from Bedouins, a mirage, and arace for water, if Abdullah and Ali could grasp these lanyards, thecaravan was saved, since the other camels followed the dun leader andthe black racer as sheep follow the bell-wether.

  Abdullah walked at the left, abreast of the dun. At intervals he rodethe black racer.

  The pace of a caravan is two miles an hour, but Abdullah's, the twocripples included, could make two miles and a quarter. The black racercould make sixty miles a day for five days, without drinking, but atthe end of such a journey his hump would be no larger than apincushion, and his temper--?

  For centuries it has been the custom of Sahara caravans to travel notmore than five miles the first day. Abdullah, the iconoclast, madethirty-three. Ali came to him at two o'clock.

  "Shall we camp, master?" he asked.

  "When I give the word," replied Abdullah. "You forget that the wells atOkba are choked. We shall camp at El Zarb."

  "El Zarb," exclaimed Ali. "We should camp there to-morrow."

  "Must I continually remind you," said Abdullah, "that to-morrow maynever dawn? We camp at El Zarb to-night."

  At nine o'clock they marched under the palms of El Zarb. Abdullah heldup his hands; Ali ran to the head of the dun leader; the caravanhalted, groaned, and knelt. The first day's journey was over.