June 10th.—There was now not a drop of sweet water in the castle, and
all that we could procure of the well-water of Adjeroud had been
standing in the tank since it was filled from the well at the time of
the last pilgrimage. The wheels of the well, which is two hundred and
fifty feet in depth, are put in motion only at that time; during the
rest of the year the building which encloses the well is shut up; and
the person who keeps the key was now at Cairo. The water we were thus
obliged to drink was saline, putrid, and of a yellow green colour, so
that boiling produced no improvement in it, and our stomachs could not
retain it.
June 11th.—A slight shower of rain fell, which the Turk ascribed to his
prayers; but all the water we could collect in every vessel which the
castle could furnish, scarcely afforded to each of us a draught. Hamd
made a second attempt to night to go to Suez, but it being unfortunately
moonlight, he was seen and again driven back.
June 12th.—After three days blockade, I had the pleasure of descrying
the Suez caravan at a distance, on its way towards
WADY KHOUYFERA
[p.629] Cairo; we immediately got every thing ready, and when the
caravan was opposite the castle, at about twenty minutes distance, Hamd
and I hastily joined it.
