_Monday, Dec. 19._--We left the wells of Murrat at about 7 A.M., and came out into a vast plain. We met a party at the wells who were eight days from Aboo-Hamed. We expect to make it in four. We pass a region of immense granite boulders, one of them looking exactly like a large cannon--sight and all. Mirage. We lunch without shelter on the burning sand, in a region called _Bergat Allouan_. In the afternoon, meet a party of three. We make for a mountain pass, but it is dark before we reach it. But we push on in the darkness. The camels are tired, and have to be whipped to their work. One is quite used up, and his load is taken off and put upon others. At last we camp in a mountain gorge, called _Cub El Gorphas_. High wind. It is toward 9 o’clock before we stop for the night. We have been at it over 13 hours to-day, and have made about 40 miles. _Tuesday, Dec. 20._--It blew a hurricane all night. At 2.30 A.M. I got up and dressed me for fear the tent would blow away. The high wind prevented our getting ready for the start before 7.30 A.M. Lunched again on the sand under the shelter of our camels, but the wind was so great that our lunch consisted chiefly of sand. The name of the place was called _El Aderaweb_. Soon after we started we had quite a sand-storm. Passing a rocky gorge and a number of huge boulders, we came to Gebel Afreet, or Spirit Mountain, where in former times strange noises were heard. Make 35 miles, and camp at the foot of two rock mountains called _Gournabat_. _Wednesday, Dec. 21._--High wind and cold. I wake up the boys with an iron pan for a gong. Meet two droves of camels. Cross an immense plain covered with small stones and sand. Another sand-storm, the wind blowing a gale. Lunch behind our camels at “_Faroot_.” Pass a peculiar high hill that looks like a camel’s back. Now we are on a boundless plain covered with bits of alabaster. We meet several caravans, and pass various boxes of goods that caravans have been obliged to leave behind. Camped at 7.30 in a part of the desert called _Aboo-Enteshat_. It is very cold as we get into our cots, and blowing a gale.