our camels would drop, which would render every drop of water we
had as precious as life.

One unfortunate lad, who had joined the caravan before it entered the
desert, I suspect a domestic who had fled from the distresses that had
found us in the upper countries, made pathetic applications to me for
water; I twice divided with him a bowlful I was drinking, "in the name
of God, the protector of the traveler."

This young man, in the course of this toilsome night, had disappeared,
having doubtless laid himself down in despair. We unfortunately did not
miss him till it was too late.[84] About two hours before day-break we
reached the entrance of a deep ravine, between ridges and hills of
rocks. We marched in it for six hours. It zigzagged perpetually, and
its bottom was covered with fragments of the rocks that enclosed it, and
which had apparently been displaced by strong currents of water. This
phenomenon surprised me, as the entrance into this ravine being from
the plain, it was evident that the currents which had produced these
displacements could not at any era have come from thence. But at the
termination of this ravine, which ended nearly at the river, the cause
became evident. An ancient canal, now nearly filled up, leads from the
river into this ravine, and the rush of the current during the seasons
of inundation, has loosened and displaced fragments of the bordering
mountains.

It was about two hours before noon on the 18th of Zilkade, when,
emerging from this ravine, we came upon the bank of the beautiful
and blessed river, which is the very heart and life's blood of all
north-eastern Africa. It was with the most grateful feelings toward "the
Lord of the universe," that I laid myself down under the date trees
by its brink to cool and to wash my swollen and inflamed eyes, whose
disorder was greatly increased by fatigue, a dazzling sun, and want of
sleep.

Immediately after our arrival at the little village of Seboo,[85] which
stands on the canal leading to the ravine before mentioned, myself and
Khalil Aga addressed ourselves to the people of the village to engage
some one to go and bring to the river the unfortunate lad who had been
missed. I told them that, in two hours, a man mounted on a dromedary
could reach the place where he had disappeared, and save his life: I
appealed to their humanity, to their sense of duty towards God and man,
to engage them to go and save him. Finding them deaf to my entreaties,