Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850-51 Volume I Part 9

Approach Ghat--Description of the Town--The Oasis--Reminiscences of a former Visit--Azgher Tuaricks--The Governor--Political Authority--The Sheikhs--Protection of Strangers--The Litham--Business--Reception--Meetings of Sheikhs--Disputes--Tax on liberated Slaves--Extortion practised on us--Discussion on the Treaty--Scramble for Presents--Haj Ahmed disinterested--Hateetah plays double--More Presents and further Annoyances--Mahommed Kafa--Escort of Kailouees--A Visit from Ouweek and the Bandit of Ghadamez--Observations on the Treaty--Collection of Dialogues--The Great Exhibition.

We were up early on the morning of the 18th, and prepared to make our official approach to the town of Ghat, which was now distant only two hours. I had already visited the place, and was familiar with its aspect; but must introduce a few words of description for the sake of the reader of the present narrative. Ghat is situated on the spur of a lofty hill, which overlooks it from the north. It is surrounded by miserable walls not more than ten feet high, pierced by six weak gates.

The houses are not whitewashed, like those of Moorish towns, but retain the dirty hue of the unburnt brick and mud with which they are built. A single minaret worthy the name, and one large building used as a general lodging-house, rise above the flat roofs of the rest of the town. Some few palm-trees bend gracefully here and there; but, in general, the groves of the oasis are a little distant from the walls. There is a suburb of some fifty houses of stone and mud; and a number of huts, made of straw and palm-branches. The whole oasis is not more than three miles in extent; the gardens produce only a little wheat, barley, and ghaseb, with some few kinds of fruit. Good water is supplied by wells; but all the palm vegetation is stunted.

From the hill that overlooks the town, a fine view is to be obtained of the little oasis and the vast extent of desert that encircles it on every side. Far to the south wave in the air the summits of the palm-groves of Berket, on the way to Aheer. To the west, hills and ridges succeed one another to the horizon; and to the east, above a line of glittering sand-hills, rises the unbroken wall of the Wareerat range--the rampart thrown up by the demons to protect their favourite Tuaricks from the inroads of the conqueror. The contrast of the bright green of the oasis with the stony waste beyond is striking; and when the sun sheds its bright rays over the scene, it may really be called beautiful.

But these are reminiscences. This day, as soon as we saw the town appearing over the trees between the rocks, we hailed it with delight; not, however, as the termination, but as the starting-point of a journey. Beyond, southward, everything to us was unknown, and, we believed, to all Europeans. Every step further, then, promised to be a discovery. Should we be allowed to proceed unmolested? Would no obstacle, natural or artificial, intervene? Much would depend on our reception in Ghat. On my former visit I had not, on the whole, reason to complain of the Sheikhs of the Tuaricks, whose chief place this is. I remembered the venerable Shafou, the das.h.i.+ng Khanouhen, with Jabour, and all the others, from whom I had received what might be called kindness.

Hateetah, it is true, had hitherto somewhat disappointed me; and I know that great expectation had been already aroused in this little secluded territory of profit to be made out of my mission. Whether I should be able to meet all demands was a serious question with me. I am pleased to say that the Governor's son came out to meet us, and conduct us to the housed of his father, who, with several of the notables of Ghat, were a.s.sembled, and gave us, in truth, a cordial reception.

It may be as well to remind the reader that Ghat is a small town which has grown up in the territory of the Azgher Tuaricks, in consequence of the convenience of the place as a station for the caravans from Soudan Proper, and other points of Central Africa. It is inhabited princ.i.p.ally by people of Moorish origin, but mixed and known as Ghateen. Haj Ahmed, the governor, is also a Moor, born at Tuat. He is a marabout, or saint, but is looked up to by the people for the settlement of all munic.i.p.al concerns. The Ghateen derive their subsistence almost entirely from the caravans, although their little oasis is not unfertile.

But the political authority of the country resides entirely in the hands of the Azgher Tuaricks. Azgher is the name of the tribe or nation, and Tuarick is a generic t.i.tle, which scarcely implies even community of origin, a.s.sumed by nearly all the wandering people of the Sahara. There are the Haghar Tuaricks, to the west of Ghat and south-west towards Timbuctoo; and the corresponding people of Aheer are called the Kailouee Tuaricks. At Timbuctoo itself are found the Sorghau Tuaricks.

The chief of the Tuaricks of Ghat is nominally the venerable Shafou, whose son came with Hateetah to escort me from Mourzuk; but the virtual sultans.h.i.+p resides in Khanouhen, the heir-apparent, or son of Shafou's sister: for this is the order of succession in Ghat. Every Tuarick, however, is in some sort a chief, and more or less influence is acquired by age or personal qualities. The princ.i.p.al men have divided the sources of emolument which the peculiar position of their country supplies them with. Hateetah claims to afford protection to all private English travellers, and to receive presents from them; another patronises the inhabitants of Tripoli, a third those of Soudan, and so on. This arrangement enables a visitor to the place to calculate with some certainty about the amount of obligation he incurs. All the Tuaricks are easily distinguished by their habit of wearing a litham, or m.u.f.fler, with which they conceal their mouths and all the lower part of their face. This custom gives them a strangely mysterious appearance.

The house of Haj Ahmed, the governor, to which we were conducted, is situated three parts of a mile from the town, which I did not enter during my stay. It would not have done to expose myself to the familiar impudence of the people, who had known me during my visit under very different circ.u.mstances. Besides, my time was fully taken up with business matters; so fully, that I scarcely had time even to write one or two brief despatches to Government.

On the morning of our arrival at Ghat all seemed to promise well. The Governor welcomed us with hospitality, and his slaves unloaded our camels, and quickly conducted us to our apartments. At noon, although it was Ramadhan time, we received some dishes of meat, with figs, grapes, and mola.s.ses--really a sumptuous repast. We were not allowed to go out the first day.

The next morning there was a general meeting of the Sheikhs and people of the town in our apartments; and from the turn affairs began to take, we found it necessary to despatch a courier to Aroukeen, to beg the Tanelk.u.ms to wait a few days for us at that place. During the meeting began the first prevarication of the Tuaricks. The son of Shafou said that he did not agree to conduct us to Aheer--an a.s.sertion we contradicted strongly. At length he exclaimed: "Although I did not agree to this, I will nevertheless conduct you,"--making a new favour of an old bargain.

When the meeting separated, there was another affair brought on the carpet by Hateetah and Waled Shafou. They boldly demanded seventy reals, or small dollars of Ghat, for the pa.s.sage of our liberated blacks to Soudan. I declared that I would not give them a real, and told them to seize the people if they chose. Hateetah upon this went off in a rage, and Waled Shafou stayed behind, pretending to seize our servants. We did not take any notice of him, and at last he likewise departed. Mr.

Gagliuffi had not been able to arrange this affair at Mourzuk,--it being left in this position, "that they (Hateetah and Shafou) would say nothing about the matter; but that if others did, we should pay a little." The man who has a right to this tribute from freed blacks is now absent from Ghat, and any claim ought to be made in his name by his representatives. When the Governor heard of this affair, he sent to tell us "to arrange the matter, and give something to these dogs of Tuaricks;" at the same time expressing his sorrow for such a shameful demand: and shameful it was, because we had already paid for ourselves and our servants three hundred reals. Besides this sum, Hateetah and Waled Shafou had each of them received a present of about a hundred mahboubs. Finally my friend, Haj Ibrahim, the merchant, undertook to arrange this business, and paid on our account twenty-eight reals more for our servants.

On the morning of the 20th there was another general meeting, and I presented the treaty for consideration. A long discussion followed, but I at first misunderstood the conclusion to which the Sheikhs came.

However, the following day we had a regular debate, the result of which was that the Sheikhs and heads of the town declared they could not come to a final arrangement until the winter souk (market), when all the notables would be a.s.sembled.

A great deal of unpleasant discussion occurred during all these meetings, and I had to fight my way step by step. The Shereef was first on my side, but as I had promised him a present only if the treaty were signed, and as he saw that this would not take place, he turned round and became my active enemy. However, it was out of his power to do me much harm. The greater part of the last days of my stay were spent in agitation about the presents for Jabour, Khanouhen, Berka, and others, some of whom were absent. I said that nothing could be given until the Sheikhs and the people of Ghat did something for the Queen--for the presents were the Queen's presents. Finally, the day before our departure, a great uproar was made on this subject, and I was obliged to yield the point, and give them burnouses. These presents had been promised to Hateetah on the road from Mourzuk to Ghat, upon the condition that the Sheikhs and people would agree to the treaty. They had also been mentioned at Mourzuk; but then, nothing had been said about conditions. I considered it highly impolitic to allude to the treaty in the hearing of the Turks, who would have thought I was secretly going to enter into an alliance offensive and defensive with the Ghateen against them. The Tuaricks, however, stood upon the point, that when the burnouses were promised first, there was no talk of an equivalent, and I was obliged to concede.

When I had finished distributing these presents, there was peace for the few hours that we were yet to remain at Ghat. Haj Ahmed, however, seeing and hearing of all this confusion, became alarmed lest I should repeat it to Mourzuk, and refused to take the presents of tea, coffee, sugar, a white burnouse, and a few large carpet-rugs, which I offered him. His son, also, refused what I tendered, a fez and a turban, because it was not enough. Everybody in Ghat who expected a present from us, seemed determined to be satisfied with nothing less than a burnouse. The Governor wished to appear perfectly disinterested amidst this confusion and these extortionate demands of the Tuaricks. I was not sorry for the refusals, for really I have ten thousand people to give presents to before I return from the interior.

I do not consider that, after all, Haj Ahmed treated us so well as he might have done. The first dinner was good; but the others were poor, and some of it I could not eat at all. He was disappointed at my not bringing him a printed Koran; but I could not, on this occasion, make such a present.

Hateetah, in all these disputes at Ghat, has acted a double part.

Publicly he was our enemy; but privately he pretended to be our greatest friend. He was imitated in his conduct by the son of Shafou, who seemed to look upon him as his Mentor. On leaving, Hateetah promised that I should see something wonderful which he would do for me, speaking of the treaty. I am afraid that not much reliance can be placed on these fine promises.

On the morning fixed for my departure, the Sheikhs and Haj Ahmed, seeing me much grieved, out of health and out of temper, all came forward to try and repair any mischief they might have done me and their own reputation. They begged me to leave the treaty with them, and promised faithfully in the a.s.sembly of all the Sheikhs, in the winter, to do their best to gratify the wishes of the British Government. They also undertook to write private letters themselves, especially Hateetah. Haj Ibrahim, to whom I presented a watch worth twenty dollars, also promised to render me all his a.s.sistance and influence with the Sheikhs, and to be my wakeel (agent) in my absence. Jabour paid me a farewell visit, and after he received his present was very polite and jocular. Yusuf Moknee, as a Tripoline, also paid him six reals; for he is the official protector of people from that city, as well as some others. The day before, one of his people had seized my Fezzanee servant because he did not give the usual presents, viz. a barracan and common fez. He was put to "working in water," as they call it; that is, to a.s.sist in irrigating one of the gardens. After a short time, however, they allowed him to return to me. Such are the Tuaricks--grasping, violent, and capricious!

I cannot, however, until I see the fate of the treaty, completely decide upon the conduct of Hateetah and the body of Sheikhs generally.

Mahommed Kafa was one of our best friends at Ghat, and had always a smile to greet us with--a great relief in a country where most of the people you meet have a frown on their brows and their mouths closely m.u.f.fled up. This man is the most considerable merchant of Ghat, and exerted himself greatly to procure us an escort of Kailouees. I gave a white burnouse to him and his son. They both sent us a dinner. We were fortunate in finding a party of Kailouees here on their way to Aheer.

They have agreed to act as escort, which renders us in some measure independent of the son of Shafou.

During my residence at Ghat I received a visit from my old friend Ouweek, and also from the old bandit whose acquaintance I made at Ghadamez. Ouweek was very complimentary, and shook me cordially by the hands. He observed, "There is no fear in this country; go on in advance: this country is like Fezzan." I then brought him out some tobacco, and a handkerchief to wrap it in. As usual, he did not seem satisfied with this; so I added a loaf of white sugar. He then noticed Yusuf, and thus addressed him: "Yusuf! I have heard that Hateetah and the son of Shafou are about to conduct these Christians to Soudan. I am a better man than them all! Now Hateetah and Waled Shafou will want this sugar and tobacco on the road. I leave it for them." On this he started up on two sticks, for he is doubly lame, having the Guinea-worm in both legs, and went away hurriedly. I, however, sent the sugar and tobacco after him, and this time he condescended to accept them. He came to see me mounted on his maharee (or dromedary).

To the old bandit of Ghadamez I also presented some tobacco, and he went his way. Fortunately there were few Tuaricks in Ghat at this time, otherwise I should have had hosts of such visitors. The absence of these grasping chiefs has interfered, it is true, with the treaty of commerce; but it is possible, that even had Khanouhen been present some other s.h.i.+ft would have been discovered. There are now present in Ghat only the Sheikh Jabour, Waled Shafou, Sheikh Hateetah, Sheikh Ouweek, and Haj Ahmed, the governor of the town. The Sultan Shafou himself is on the road to Soudan, and we shall probably meet him in a few days on our way.

I have, however, sent this aged chieftain a handsome sword from the English Government, by his son, to whom I gave it in one of the public meetings.

With reference to the treaty, it may, perhaps, be considered in a fair way to be finally accepted. At the winter souk every person of influence and authority in the country will be present, and in the form in which I have presented it, I believe it will provoke little or no opposition.

The clauses with reference to religion and the slave-trade have, of course, been left out; the first as unnecessary, the second as dangerous at this early stage of our proceedings. Even already it may be said that the market at Ghat may safely be visited by British merchants; for although Hateetah may require heavy presents, he will certainly protect them.

However, we must bear in mind, that in a country governed in so irregular way, it is very difficult to answer for the future. The governor, Haj Ahmed himself, told me in a deprecating manner, "Ghat is a country of Sheikhs!" and Hateetah says, half jocularly, "Ghat has thirty Sultans!" Fortunately, however, it is the interest of the rulers of this part of the desert to encourage traffic; they live by it; otherwise it would be dangerous to trust to their a.s.surances.

We were in all but seven days in Ghat, so that I had no time to make researches. However, I am fortunate in procuring a collection of dialogues and a vocabulary of most of the common words in the Tuarick dialect of the tribes in Ghat. I employed for this purpose Mohammed Shereef, nephew of the Governor of Ghat, who is a pretty good Arabic scholar. I have also made an arrangement with my friend Haj Ibrahim to forward to the British Government a small quant.i.ty of Soudan manufactures for the Exhibition of 1851; so that the industry and handicraft of the dusky children of Central Africa may be represented side by side with the finished works of Paris and London artisans.[6]

[6] This account of Mr. Richardson's residence at Ghat is copied from a summary in his journal, with occasional insertions from his despatches to Government. It is very brief and imperfect; but the traveller was so fully occupied by various kinds of business during his stay, that he was not able to write, and only threw upon paper a rough memorandum after he had started on his way to Aheer. The imperfection is the less to be regretted, as, up to this point, the Sahara had previously been pretty well travelled and described. He now breaks fresh ground, and is more copious in his notes.--ED.

CHAPTER XI.

Start from Ghat--Reflections--Beautiful Valley of Berket--Last Date-palms--The Kailouees--Dr. Barth lost again--Meet our Guides--The Akourou Water--Ghadeer--Soudan Influence on the Tuaricks--Wataitee leaves us--Oasis of Janet--Kailouee Character--A sick Slave--Rocky Desert--Gloomy Scene--Servants--Egheree Water--Ajunjer--A threatened Foray from Janet--Sidi Jafel Waled Sakertaf--We have no Money--Region of Granite--Dr. Barth's Comparisons--A Slave Caravan--Granite Rocks--Beating Women--The Bird of the Desert--Desolate Region--Our Relations with the Kailouees.

The departure from Ghat was, for most of us, an exciting moment. So far I had considered myself comparatively on familiar ground; for although I had followed different routes, the great points of Mourzuk and Ghat were well known to me. Now, however, we were about to enter upon a region totally unknown, of which no authentic accounts from eye-witnesses--unless we count the vague reports of natives--had ever reached us; valleys unexplored; deserts unaffronted; countries which no European had ever surveyed. Before us, somewhere in the heart of the Sahara, raised into magnificence perhaps by the mirage of report, was the unknown kingdom of Aheer, of which Leo Africa.n.u.s hints something, but the names of whose great cities are scattered as if at haphazard over the maps, possibly hundreds of miles out of their right position.

What reception shall we meet with in that untried land? In what light will its untravelled natives--fierce from ignorance and bigotry--regard this mission of infidels, coming from lat.i.tudes of which they have never dreamed, with objects unappreciable and perhaps hostile? Will nature itself be hospitable? Are there no enemies in the climate, no perils peculiar to the seasons? These questions occupied my mind as the caravan wound between the last palm-groves of Ghat; and my camel, resuming its swinging march, went away with its neck advanced like a bowsprit over this desert sea, which might be scattered with hidden dangers at every step.

The wind does not always serve at the outset of a voyage. Our first stage was only of two hours southwards, as far as Berket, a considerable town, well walled, situate under a low hill, and surrounded with palm-trees and gardens. The people visited us on our arrival; all proved troublesome and some insolent. I had heard a better account of them.

Their country is pleasanter than themselves, certainly the most picturesque piece of desert I have seen since leaving Tripoli. A range of lofty black mountains extends on the east, with mounds of sand and smaller hills at their base, dotted with the beautiful ethel-tree; palms rise in abundance on all sides; gardens surround the wells; and animals feed about on the plain. The scenery is quite rich, and even suggests the idea of fertility. The Tuaricks possess many similar fine valleys.

We started late next day from Berket, and made only four hours to a well. Here it was necessary to wait for Waled Shafou, and the three extra camels which we have hired to go with us to Aheer. The scenery resembles that of yesterday; but there is not so much herbage, and the palms are absent. Probably the date-palms of Berket are the last trees of this species which we shall see until our return. The olive-district has long ago been left behind; and now the columnar date-palm is also to be among the things that were. They report, however, that there is a diminutive species in Aheer. We shall greet this dwarf-cousin of our old friend with pleasure.

We are on our way to meet the Kailouee Tuaricks, with whom we have arranged in Ghat to conduct us by Aheer to Zinder--a service for which we have already paid a hundred dollars of the money of Ghat. They are a company of merchants returning to their own country, and although they will probably protect us to a certain extent, can scarcely inspire so much confidence as Waled Shafou would have done. We travelled four hours on the 26th. Dr. Barth was again lost this evening, having pushed on in his usual eager way for about half an hour. We were filled with alarm.

There were two roads dividing at a certain place, one direct and the other turning off at an angle. Naturally, the Doctor followed the straight road, which proved to be the wrong one. However, knowing he had gone on before, my fears were awakened when we reached the fork; and I immediately fired several guns, and ordered a search to be commenced.

The guns not only served as guides to Dr. Barth, but introduced us to the Kailouees, who were close at hand, and came running to meet us.

Their appearance, for I scarcely know what reason, sent a thrill of joy through our frames; and the weariness and discouragement we had brought with us from Ghat disappeared. We entertained great hopes of these new companions. The first impression they produced was good; for they greeted us most cheerfully, and began helping to unload the camels. They have several female slaves with them, and muster in all some twenty persons and about thirty camels; so that, altogether, we shall form a very respectable caravan.

We rose early on the 27th, and starting at half-past six, continued moving until noon, when we encamped in a valley a little before the water of Akourou, where there is herbage for the camels in a hollow amidst rocky sandstone hills. The scenery of this part of the desert continues to be very varied. The range of lofty marl hills, over which the sun rises for Ghat, is still seen stretching northwards and southwards. Animals feed about here and there; some quails whirr along the ground; black vultures, white eagles, and numerous crows, perch upon the rocks, or speckle the sky overhead. I went to visit the "Water," as they call a small lake that nestles amidst the rocks. It is of some depth, and filled, they say, merely by rain-water, very palatable to drink. Even when no showers occur for several years it does not become quite empty; and as there is no apparent reason for this, I am led to suppose it may be partly fed by some spring in the rocks that form its bed. This lake imparts an unusually cheerful aspect to the valley in which it lies. It is resorted to by the dwellers of the neighbouring district, who come to water their flocks, and feed them on the herbage that springs round the margin. These pools or collections of water are called ghadeer, which I at first mistook for the name of a particular locality. According to Yusuf, this place gives an exact idea of the Tibboo country, where, he says, there are no wells, but vast clefts in the rock, down which pours the water when it rains, to collect in the hollows at the bottom. Our people speak with great respect of this ghadeer. Everything connected with water is sacred in the desert. They say that for several weeks after a rain-storm there are regular cascades over the rocks.

Next day we advanced in six hours to a wady similar to that we had left; curiously shaped sandstone rocks showed themselves on all sides: no fossils were discovered. a.s.ses in droves were seen feeding about. The Tuaricks possess a good number of these useful animals, brought from Soudan, of a finer breed than those at Mourzuk. All the domestic animals of the country are from the same place--the horses, bullocks used to draw the water from the wells, as well as the sheep and a.s.ses. Ghat, indeed, is within the circle of Soudan influence; the people dress in Soudan clothes; eat off Soudan utensils; and mingle a great deal of the Soudan language with their Tuarick dialect. We feel, therefore, as if we were now going towards a centre instead of from a centre. Mourzuk, on the contrary, holds itself in connexion with the Arabs of the coast; and seems to receive no influence from the interior except by means of the Tibboos, who form a kind of connecting link. There is a considerable sprinkling of this curious people in the lower portions of the population of Mourzuk, and there are always some genuine specimens to be met with in the streets. It may be said, however, that both the capital of Fezzan and Ghat itself seem rendezvous from all parts of Africa; and I imagine, that in all the souk (market) cities of the interior the same fact will be observed. However, it will remain true, no doubt, that south of Ghat the influence of Soudan will be far more sensibly marked than on the other side.

The son of Shafou, Mahommed Wataitee, who seems to have made up his mind to s.h.i.+rk the journey to Aheer, left us this morning to go to Aroukeen and meet his father, who is encamped with his flocks and dependants around that well. No doubt it is fas.h.i.+onable in Ghat land to be "out of town" at this season of the year. Our Kailouees have determined to take another and more direct road, avoiding Aroukeen and the Azgher Tuaricks in its neighbourhood. Waled Shafou says, he shall fall in with us somewhere about Falezlez; but this seems somewhat doubtful. When people separate in the desert they must not calculate on meeting again in a hurry. We parted about three hours from the water of Akourou, the road to Aroukeen branching off there. He took the easterly route and we the westerly, and we were soon out of sight. Our way still lay through desert-hills, but with vegetation frequently. There was talk of the small oasis of Janet to our left; and we indulged in some pastoral reflections on the life of contemplative ease and primitive simplicity which would be indulged in in such an out-of-the way place.

We seem to have got into some sc.r.a.pe with the Kailouees. Besides the hundred dollars which Haj Ibrahim paid them to conduct us from Aheer to Zinder, it appears he promised them some burnouses, when we have none for them. They mentioned the subject to-day, very naturally. We must do as well as we can. They seem civil enough; but an incident has just occurred which has much displeased me.

It appears that when these people came to Ghat, a few weeks ago, they left a sick slave with some shepherds among these rocks. To-day they inquired about the slave, whether she was dead, or what had become of the poor thing; but the shepherds refused to give any account,--said, in fact, they knew nothing about the matter. Upon this the Kailouees seized a black boy belonging to these poor people and dragged him along, with a rope round his neck, to terrify him into confessing what had become of the slave. The poor boy, however, had nothing to confess; so at last, after they had dragged him for some distance, they let him go. Such is a specimen of the incidents which almost daily occur, arising out of this horrible traffic. I lectured one of the Kailouees on the subject, and told him that we were in Tuarick territory, and that such an action might bring the genuine Tuaricks upon us.

It would appear that the governor of the town of Aghadez, or rather of the whole Kailouee race, is not known, there having lately been a revolution in this Saharan region. All the country is up in arms. We shall arrive at the interesting crisis of a change of dynasty. The two Sultans of Aheer known, are our friends En-Noor and Lousou.

_27th._--We rose at daybreak and soon started, ascending from the valley through a difficult pa.s.s to a rocky plateau, over which we pursued our undeviating track for more than nine hours, and pitched our tents in a small and nameless wady, covered with a sprinkling of herbage. This was a trying day for the camels, the ground being rough with loose stones.

How different is all this from European notions of a desert, or level expanse of sand! With some few exceptions, the Sahara is a region covered by comparatively low, rocky hills, forming valleys here and there, supplied with trees, and herbage, and water. We are now in a really uninhabited spot; scarcely a bird is seen, or a lizard, or a beetle, or any living thing, save a few flies that still follow the caravan on unwearied wing, and buzz with moderated ferocity about the noses of the camels.

What fantastic forms did the rock a.s.sume to-day! Now its pinnacles bristled up like a forest of pines; now there seemed to rise the forms of castles and houses, and even groups of human beings. All this is black sandstone--hideously black, unlovely, unsociable, savage-looking.

'Tis a mere wilderness of rock, thrown in heaps about, with valleys, or trenches, or crevices, through which the caravan slowly winds. This is our first cloudy day. May we have many such! We feel little of the sun's power, although there is little or no wind. We must have reached a considerable elevation.

I begin to find it necessary to keep a tight rein over our servants, otherwise our encampment and party would always be in disorder. Mohammed Tunisee is a very impertinent fellow at times, and is capable of spoiling all the others. This evening I gave the Kailouees and their servants a treat of coffee, which much delighted them. Amongst the rest was En-Noor's servant. We get on very well with them for the present.