Caravan: Day 9

Day Nine: The terrain is very harsh, but the elevation is more reasonable and it is not too cold. We were hoping to find water here but the scouts say the wells ahead are dry. That is total B.S. That oasis is huge. I think the caravan owners just don't want to pay what the locals are charging for water. This is bad ju-ju; one Moslem does not refuse hospitality to another. The locals are probably Twelvers, who don't like Fatimids, or maybe it's just an old tribal feud. Whatever. The caravan owners will come back this way on their return trip, and they will have plenty of water, and they will settle accounts then.