I examined my saddle-bags, and found that they contained not a single article of provision; my powder-horn had unfortunately been left on my camel; my note-book, however, was luckily in my possession, and on looking over it, I found, what was of some importance to me, that I had marked all the back bearings. I knew, that whether I advanced or retraced my steps, I should equally be two days distant from a well, and was aware that, even in reaching one, I might not have power to get at the water; my horse, at any rate, was not likely to survive two days’ privation of it. In this extremity, and not knowing what direction to take, I found my only resource to preserve life, supposing I obtained water, would be to kill my poor animal, and to subsist on his flesh, with the hope of being, in the meantime, relieved by some passing traveller: but this chance was very remote, the road we were pursuing being but little frequented; and as to any other means of extricating myself, I could devise none. After some time passed in reflecting on what might probably be my melancholy fate if left on the desert, a sudden impulse induced me to trust to the guidance of my horse, and, giving him the reins, I allowed him to take what course he chose, little imagining how nearly I approached the end of my difficulties. Whilst proceeding on my way, almost hopeless of extricating myself, and in a direction quite contrary to that which I had fancied to be the right one, I unexpectedly perceived that I had crossed the track, and was actually in a Wadey full of talhh trees, bearing evident marks of having been recently passed over by our camels. Following this sure guide, I soon found myself once more in the safe path, and my feelings at such unlooked for and providential deliverance may be more easily imagined than described. As I was riding slowly along, I discovered, out of the track, a poor Negress lying under a bush, where, overcome by fatigue and illness, she had stopped behind, unregarded, to die. Having myself so recently escaped the horrors of a lingering death, I felt tenfold commiseration for this poor helpless being; and having with some difficulty placed her on my horse, I took her quietly along; at such a pace indeed, as much to retard coming up with my people, whom I found in great alarm about me. They feared I must have strayed on the desert, or have fallen on the road from sickness; and such were their kind feelings towards me, that they sent a camel and a supply of water, provisions, and a carpet, with two men, to seek for me in all directions. I met them at 5.30. soon after they set out, and found that the Kafflé had, on my account, stopped for the night two hours before.