Thus it came about that we never caught them up although we covered quite a hundred miles a day.

Only once did I see them, far off upon the skyline of a mountain range which we had to climb, but by the time we had reached its crest they were gone.
At length we came to the desert without accident and crossed it, though more slowly.

But even here the King had his posts which were in charge of Arabs who lived in tents by wells of water, or sometimes where there was none save what was brought to them.

So still we galloped on, parched by the burning sand beneath and the burning sand above, and reached the borders of Egypt.
Here, upon the very boundary line, the two officers halted the cavalcade saying that their orders were to return thence and make report to the King.

There then we parted, Bes and I with the six hunters who still chose to cling to me, going forward and the officers of the King with the guides and servants going back.