Among the Celestials : vol.1 / Page 140 (Grayscale High Resolution Image)

0140	Among the Celestials : vol.1

II2 AMONG THE CELESTIALS. [CHAP. V.

dried beans, which Mr. Clarke gave me, and

lastly some Chinese oatmeal. All these luxuries

added very little to the total amount of baggage,

and even if they had made an extra camel-load,

it would not have hindered the journey in any

way, while they added very considerably to my

efficiency.

A tent was made up in the town on what is

known in India as the Kabul pattern ; but, as

it afterwards turned out, this was, for travelling

in the desert, about the very worst description

of tent possible. The violent winds, so constant

there, catch the walls and make it almost im-

possible to keep the tent standing. What I

would recommend for future travellers is a tent

like my guide's sloping down to the ground at

the ends as well as on each side, and with no

straight wall to catch the wind.

Rather unusual articles of equipment were

two water-casks which we filled with water

daily on the march, so that if, as sometimes

happened, we lost our way and missed the well,

or found it choked with sand, we should always

have something to fall back on.

This completed our preparations, and we

were ready for the real start into the unknown.

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