The latter presented a curious appearance.

In no place was it less than four hundred yards in width, and in many places much wider.

The banks were from twenty-five to thirty feet deep, and had evidently been overflowed during floods; but now the river bed was dry sand, so glaring that the sun's reflection was almost intolerable.

The only shade was afforded by the evergreen dome palms; nevertheless the Arabs occupied the banks at intervals of three or four miles, wherever a pool of water in some deep bend of the dried river's bed offered an attraction.

In such places were Arab villages or camps, of the usual mat tents formed of the dome-palm leaves.
Many pools were of considerable size and of great depth.