Bilal led his camels through the sandy dunes, headed toward the sea. Even though it was deathly hot, he couldn't afford to skip out on a day of gathering salt. All he could do was stay hydrated and wear loose linens. If anything went wrong, his jile knife was there to help him.

The two reached the coast, and Bilal set out to work. Earlier that day, he had come to form the blocks of salt. The water had evaporated, leaving behind solid chunks of sodium. Now all he had to do was sell them.