THE ARAB AND HIS CAMEL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 235, 3 October 1936, Page 23 (Supplement)

THE ARAB AND HIS CAMEL.

JOURNEYING IN THE GREAT DESERTS.

"I shall not go to a cold country this time," thought Jack, as he took down his magic globe. "Three spins, and off I go to Africa." No sooner said than done, and Jack was standing in a big desert. "1 know," said Jack, "I'm in Sgypt. I wonder what 1 siiall see f.rst." Just? then he noticed something moving in the distance. It was a caravan of camels stringing one behind the other. An Arab, dressed in a loose robe and a bright head cloth, walked in front ot the first camel. The next one carried a kind of house on its back, and in it sat a veiled woman, and two little brown boys. Then came a camel laden with goods, and some long poles. "They look friendly," he said to himself, as they drew nearer. He was not mistaken. The Arab stopped and asked, "How did you get here, little white boy?" "I wanted to see your land, and my mapie globe brought me," said Jack. "Then come with us. We are journeying far across the desert," said the Arab. The camel knelt and Jack was lifted into the queer little room on its back. He was soon talking gaily to Ali and his little breather, Hassan. It was his first ride on a camel, and he did not like it much. As the camel lifted its big hcofs and planted them in the sand again, Jack felt it roll l'ke a ship. Ali told him how the camel could store up water in the cells ot its stomach; and, when food was scarce, it would feed on the fat in its hump. Jack began to feel hot and thirsty. He was given a drink of water from a funnv-shaped bag made of camel skin. How glad he was to reach the oasis with its cool water and shady palms. The Arab and the boys began at once to pitch their low tent. They put up some poles, and covered tiiem with skins and blankets. Ali told him the tents were low because of fierce wind storms which sometimes swept across the desert. The boys gathered dates and fed some to the camels. Then they all sat down and had a meal of cheese, milk and fruit. "To sleep now," said the father. Jack stared. "We don't go to sleep in the daytime," said Jack. "We do," replied the Arab. "We rest during the heat of the day and travel in the cool of the dawn." It was quite cold when he was awakened by the Arab. "Day is at hand," he said, "we must push on." The tent was folded and the good? were packed on the camel's back. After a hurried meal, they found themselves once more on the trackless sands. "How do you know the way to go?" asked Jack. "The stars guide us," replied the Arab. As they went along Ali told Jack they hoped to reach a city near the River Nile before mid-day. The father told them many stories of adventures he had with wild tribes. "I hope we don't meet any to-day," said Jack. "It is not likely," said

the father; "we are too near the city." He pointed to something far away on the horizon. "I know," Maid Jack. "They are pyramids My uncle told me all about thotn when he came back from the war. The old Pharaohs of Egypt are buried there." As they entered the city they Haw many fiat-roofed houses. All told Jack that the people sot on their roofs in the cool of the evening. "Jt doesn't rain much here, bo you :lo not need eloping roof.? like ours," said Jack. He spent a happy day visiting the temples with their strange spires, and watching the people who live along the river. They had water buffaloes yoked to queer wooden ploughs. Jack saw rice growing on a muddy bank. Women came down to a well and filled'earthern jars, which they carried away on their heads. The red sun slowly sank to rest behind the biggest pyramid, and Jack suddenly felt homesick. "I wish I were home," said he. He opened his eyes, and there he was lying out in the shade of the big gum tree in his own backyard.