As Guests of Heathens
"What!" cried Bob excitedly. "Stop for the day! We--we can't. Our time
is worth too much!"
The naturalist laughed unwillingly.
"This time it's a question of what we have to do," he said dryly. "If
the blackness increases, it will be suicide to plunge through it with
so many rocks and walls of stone near."
The boys and Mr. Holton rode on up to the front of the caravan, where
Tishmak and Fekmah were visibly moved with fear.
The darkness was becoming more intense with every minute. Soon the
explorers could not see one another.
"It might be well to get off our dromedaries," suggested Mr. Lewis.
"If this is to continue long, it won't pay to remain mounted."
"This is likely to mean a loss of several hours," said Fekmah gravely.
"Then again, the fog of dust might pass away in but few minutes."
"Worst thing about it is the difficulty to breathe," pointed out Dr.
Kirshner. "Tragedy has been known to come upon caravans in this
manner."
It was indeed stifling, but the adventurers managed to get air through
the dust. They feared every minute that time would bring about an
impossibility to breathe.
Much to their relief, that dread moment did not come, and after a
half-hour the blackness gradually thinned out until it again became
light.
"Thank goodness!" breathed Mr. Lewis. "Now let's get on our way
again."
Still more the country was changing. The rocks became more jagged,
taking on many shapes and forms. Small trees and plants became more
abundant, causing the region to resemble certain areas of the American
desert. And along with this plant life came numerous traces of wild
animals.
"Wish we would run across a fox," said Joe. "I'm anxious to shoot
anything."
"Probably will," returned Bob. "I guess there are not only foxes but
jackals and other small game. There should be much more here than in
the sandy section."
The party stopped at eleven o'clock for the meal and midday rest. This
time the dromedaries alone were to be the guards, for they had already
proved their efficiency in detecting unusual noises.
At two they were again on their way, climbing a gentle slope
widespread with sharp rocks.
"Seems strange to get away from the sand dunes," remarked Bob. "It
hardly is like a desert now."
As they passed up a rocky hill, Fekmah called a halt.
"We have come to the Tudemait Plateau," he announced, getting out the
map that he had made from memory. "That sharp peak in the distance is
one of the landmarks. Now we pass through this plateau for rest of
today and part of tomorrow; then come to another sandy stretch."
"Then what?" inquired Mr. Holton.
"Get to Ahaggar Mountains," the Arab replied. "We have to follow
compass more close from now on, because must see peak called Illiman.
Then we know we near treasure."
"And here's hoping those two thieves haven't gotten there first and
taken everything away," said Joe.
That afternoon they came to a small well and refilled their
containers, which were beginning to get low. Despite the fact that the
water was exceedingly warm, it was greatly welcomed by the explorers.
A high hill was before them, and Bob suggested that they climb to the
top afoot and make out the character of the land ahead of them.
The others were in favor of doing so, for Fekmah might catch sight of
something that would be recognized as a landmark on the map.
The climb was tiresome but easy, the many boulders offering footholds.
Finally they reached the top and turned their gaze toward the horizon.
"What's that 'way over there?" asked Joe, pointing to a narrow valley
walled closely by high rocks.
Mr. Lewis and Mr. Holton had their binoculars strapped over their
shoulders. They took them out and peered into the distance.
Suddenly Mr. Holton started.
"It's a village!" he exclaimed, and Mr. Lewis nodded. "A village of
Arabs. Look at the low huts of sun-baked mud," handing the binoculars
to Fekmah.
"Yes," said Fekmah, gazing out through the glasses. "Suppose we go
over there and see them. They treat us all right. It not take much of
our time."
"All right," returned Dr. Kirshner. "I'm anxious to make a casual
study of them. They might have some primitive implements that belonged
to their remote ancestors."
The adventurers made their way down the hill and mounted their camels.
Then they rode off toward the distant valley. It was a good distance
away, and perhaps hard of access, but the explorers were determined to
find it.
In less time than they had expected, they came to a spot that would
probably afford an opening into the valley. For a few minutes they
wound in and out among the rocks. Then they came within sight of the
village.
A crowd of Arabs ran out to meet them, uttering hearty greetings. It
was evident that expeditions rarely passed within sight of their
dwellings, for they were very excited.
Tishmak and Fekmah conversed with the people in a very friendly manner
and then introduced the others of the American expedition.
Dr. Kirshner and the naturalists found it almost impossible to
understand the language, and they were satisfied with Fekmah's
translations.
"A good chance to take some movies," said Bob, getting out the camera.
"Don't suppose the Arabs would object," added Joe. "At any rate, we'll
risk it."
The youths cranked off several scenes of the Arabs and their village.
It was clear to the explorers that the people had never seen a
motion-picture camera before. The strange purring box was an object of
curiosity, and they crowded around like so many children.
To the Americans, these people were of great interest. The men and
women dressed almost alike, in a long, white robe that reached to the
ankles. A tight-fitting cloth was wound around the head, and the back
of the neck was protected from the sun by a black veil. They were of a
naturally swarthy complexion, which was still further darkened by the
fierce desert heat.
"Not very pleasant to look at," said Bob to his chum. "But they sure
are giving us a hearty welcome."
"That's probably because they're so unused to seeing strangers," Joe
remarked. "Nearly all friendly natives are that way."
The Arabs led the explorers into the main part of the village, where
there was a large open space before the chief's, or sheik's, hut.
Suddenly the head native stopped and pointed to a distant large rock.
He babbled animatedly to Tishmak and Fekmah, whose faces took on a
look of disgust.
"Sheik say over there is a place where they bury those guilty of
witchcraft," Fekmah explained to the Americans. "They put to a
terrible death, and then their bones taken over there."
Mr. Holton shook his head repulsively.
"Ignorance is the root of evil," he said. "These people are even worse
off than the Negroes of the Congo. They so infrequently come into
contact with civilization that they have degenerated into a state of
almost nothingness."
"With even more respect for Fekmah and Tishmak, the Arabs in many
remote sections of the Sahara are a bloodthirsty, treacherous, and
immoral people," put in Dr. Kirshner. "They do not at all compare
with their brothers in Algiers and other places nearer the coast."
Fekmah nodded.
"Praise be to Allah that I was not born here," he muttered.
The sheik invited the explorers to stay for dinner, but Fekmah
politely refused, saying that they must hurry on.
"We have many miles to go yet," he told them in the native tongue. "If
we are to get far today we must be going now."
The explorers left the village for their camels, the Arabs shouting
warm farewells.
"Professor Bigelow ought to be here," smiled Joe, referring to a
famous anthropologist who had accompanied them on their expedition in
Brazil.
"Wouldn't he be tickled," laughed Mr. Lewis. "But then--maybe he's
already been here. He has been about everywhere else studying
primitive people."
Soon the adventurers were out of the narrow valley, again taking up
the journey. They were glad to get started again, welcoming any new
sight in the way of oddly shaped rocks, deep valleys, and other
formations of nature.
Darkness was rapidly falling, but they kept traveling until it became
impossible to see ahead. Then Tishmak held up his hand for them to
stop.
Again they waited for the moon, not continuing the trip until it came
out.
"Tonight we must make up for the lost time at village," said Fekmah.
"We can stand to stay up an hour later."
It was not until eleven o'clock that they finally came to a stop in a
wild, rocky region. The tents were put up for the night.
The next morning the explorers were barely up when Joe happened to
notice something crawling toward him as he sat near the tent.
He was up in a moment, looking about fearfully.
"A scorpion!" he cried excitedly.