CHAPTER XVII.
THE OLD SHEIKH — ILLNESS ON THE DESERT.
We had set out from Nukhl with the determination to reach Gaza by the end of the week at any cost, even if it were necessary to make forced marches for the purpose. We were now in a region where we were liable to storms, that might render it impossible for a whole day, or a series of days, to stir from camp; and in apprehension of such delays, we determined to make the most of clear weather. So we rose early, starting soon after sunrise, and kept on till nearly dark. This caused a grumbling among the men, the sound of which soon came to our ears. We found our new Arabs were not so tractable as the old ones. Their plan was directly opposed to ours: instead of starting early and camping late, they preferred to start late and camp early. They would like to take it leisurely, starting at eight or nine o'clock, and going into camp at three or four; and when they saw us striding ahead, and thus forcing them to follow, they began to murmur among themselves, and from murmurs proceeded to threats. So much did they work upon the fears of the dragoman, that he lost his head, and came to us in a panic of terror to tell us that "if we pressed the men so hard, they would leave us and go home." This was not a light danger to look in the face. Had they executed such a threat, we should have been like men in an open boat in mid-ocean. We should have had to walk a hundred miles (not even knowing the way) without food or water, with a good chance of leaving
