They call themselves sultans of the desert, and strangers are indeed at their mercy, for they can themselves bear thirst well for a day or longer, but travellers are dreadfully tortured by this proceeding.
-Travels in Kordofan, from the chapter The Kubbabeesh, Ignatius Pallme, 1844
I admit, I was tortured once or twice by the proceeding of bearing my thirst for a day. But by evening, KhairAllah would say, If the Khawaja wants Mayya, Water, let him drink Limūn, Lemonade, and he made me a bowl of it, using our precious sugar and water that had turned black and goaty from the newly tanned skin.