ABSTRACT
DURINGweek-endsandintheafternoon,whentheday'sworkwas finishedandtheheatofthesunhaddiminished,Iwouldspendmy sparetimeinstudyingArabic,makingentriesinmypersonal diary,ortakingwalksintothesurroundingdesert.Thesewalks wereratherlimitedinscope,becauseonecannotgofarinthesand onfootwithoutgettingtired,andtherewaslittleintheimmediate vicinityofSharjahinthewayofscenicbeauty.Boundedonthe north-westbythecreekandthesea,Sharjahliesatthetipofthe peninsulawithnothingbutflat,featurelessdesertbetweenitandthe mountainranges,thenearestpointofwhichisseventymiles.To thesouth-west,ifyoudivergefromthecoast-line,thereisnothing butscrubandsandhillswhichstretchinterminablyintothe Rub-al-Khali,thatvastexpanseofdesertknownasthe'Empty Quarter'whosewidthexceedsathousandmiles.Ihaveheardof camelcaravanswhichtookayeartotraversethisdesert;theywere ontheirwayfromBaraimitoAden,andthejourneyoccupieda year'stravelling.Duringthistimetheyencounterednotmore thanfivetownsandtenBedouinencampments.
