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Adrien describes some incidents during his trek
across the Tenere Erg desert. It was early December before we finally got
everything arranged. We needed to buy five camels for
the dry desert called the Tenere Erg – two just to carry
fodder – for there would be very little vegetation for
grazing on our journey. Our new camels seemed strong
animals. One was very old, and we named him Shaybani,
meaning "the Old Chap". Such as description might also
have fit our new guide, Udungu Ag Ibrahim, who was a man
of about 60. He looked like everyone's grandfather. His
face was as bald and as cherubic as a baby's under his
Tuaregturban and veil. On December 13, we traveled
through the Agadez market. The market people cheered us
as we passed. Then, we made our way around the huge
petrol-storage tanks, shining as bright as silver. When
we were out of the city, Udungu let his veil drop. This
was a friendly act. It meant he was ready to accept us
as friends. A few days later, when we stopped to
rearrange our loads, one of our camels whom we called
Pepper, skipped away. He quickly moved away, out of
reach. Udungu went after him, riding on another camel.
When he got near him, suddenly, the old man rose up out
of the saddle and launched himself
through the air. He landed heavily on Pepper's back.
Feeling this rude impact, the animal roared angrily and
kicked out wildly like an angry horse. Udungu wobbled,
and then fell, hitting the ground with a loud crash. I
ran over, as he sat up and rubbed his left wrist. It was
bruised but not broken. He's a brave old man, I thought,
as I wrapped his arm with a bandage. I never would have
dared to chance what he had just done. A few moments
later, I watched as Mariantonietta very calmly went up
to Pepper and bridled him. We had lost three hours
over this camel. We loaded up again. Mariantonietta
decided to ride Pepper to keep him under control. I
thought it was not a good idea but she felt that he was
most used to her as she had been riding him every day
since we left Agadez. We plodded along in silence
throughout the afternoon. Later, when it started to get
cold, Mariantonietta decided to put on her socks. To get
at her feet, she leaned hard across the saddle. As she
did so, the saddle tilted dangerously to the side.
"I'm falling !" she yelled, as the saddle turned around
the animal's body. She fell with a crash under her
camel's feet. The girth was still caught round the
animal's legs. I ran to help her out of it and out of
danger. As I pulled her clear of the girth, the camel
went crazy, kicking out wildly. I seized the head-rope,
but I could not control him. I was just able to hold on
to the rope, and keep him from getting away. He roared
and spat, his eyes burning with madness. Then, he
stamped at the saddle till he had broken it into tiny
pieces. He didn't stop until he had smashed it beyond
repair. "Oh, that camel's gone mad !" Mariantonietta
said, shaking from shock, when he camel had finally
quietened down. She stared at the ruined saddle. She
could certainly not ride on it. We had no choice but to
walk until we could rig up another saddle. However, I
was relieved that Mariantonietta was unhurt. |
