Geoffrey Frederick Lamb
Q. Give an idea of the size of the Sahara. How does it compare with England?
A. The Sahara Desert is so great that if a giant were to pick England up and put it down in the middle of the Sahara Desert, it would be quite a task to find it.
Q. What had Christopher’s foster mother to do with his desire to see distant places?
A. When Christopher was a child, every time he was naughty, his foster mother threatened to send him to Timbuktu. Instead of alarming him, the idea aroused in him a keen desire to see distant places.
Q. How did Christopher manage to get a seat in the weapons carrier?
A. To the lieutenant in charge of the weapons carrier, Christopher produced a permit from the War Ministry permitting him to join the French Foreign Legion for a short period. The lieutenant did not turn the paper over to see the “cancelled” stamp and let Christopher in as he was convinced.
Q. What was the most noticeable feature of the desert city named Ghardaia?
A. Numerous and stickier flies were a typical feature of Ghardaia.
Q. How did they manage to drive the heavy truck in the trackless desert with its soft sand?
A. When there was too soft sand, they placed together ten-foot strips of steel mesh to make a runway for the wheels to bite on as the truck moved. Thus, they managed to drive the heavy truck through soft sand.
Q. What did the driver of the truck tell Christopher about three Englishmen who had attempted to cross the desert?
A. The driver of the truck told Christopher the story of three English people who attempted to cross a part of the desert in a car with only one day’s water supply. Their car became stuck in a sand dune, and three days later, their bodies were found dried up like leaves.
Q. Give an account of the little town named El Golea and compare it with In Salah, bringing out differences between the two.
A. El Golea was a fascinating little town. It was a true oasis with plenty of water. A pool near the town was shaded by palm trees and fruit trees with cool grass beside it. In contrast to it, In Salah was losing its battle for survival. The sand was constantly encroaching on the town.
Q. What do you know of Professor Claude Balanguernon?
A. Professor Claude Balanguernon was a Frenchman who devoted himself to helping the Tuareg people. He succeeded in convincing them that education would be useful to them. He adapted himself to their habit and customs to teach them effectively.
Q. Describe the events leading to the killing of a camel. What sort of water did they get from its stomach?
A. On their way to Kidal, the little party with Christopher wanted to replenish their water-bags. They reached a well on their way and found it bone-dry. They reached another well, which too was dry. Now they decided to slaughter Christopher’s camel for the liquid in its stomach. The liquid was the most unappetizing thing. Even the Tuaregs made faces while drinking it, and Christopher had to hold his nose while he drank it after boiling.
Q. Describe the journey through the land of thirst and death.
A. While passing through the land of thirst and death, there came a sand storm. He and his companions hid behind their camels and crouched down to avoid the sand. The storm lasted only half an hour, but they all had seventy-five millimetres of sand completely covering them. Thus, he travelled through this part of the desert under the shadow of death.
Q. Describe his stay at In Abbangarit. How did Christopher manage to get water there?
A. At In Abbangarit, Christopher stayed in a bordj. The water in the well was a good 46 metres below, and there was neither rope nor bucket! He decided to get water out with his teapot. After fastening all the bits of cord, articles of clothing, and joining them with the four strips of his turban, he could make the teapot reach only halfway down. He hit upon the idea of using the wire of his recording machine. Thus, he drew water out potful after potful. Later, he got in touch with the desert patrol and was saved from dying of hunger.