SECTION II.
Observations on the Region of the Harutsch.
T h e mountainous desert of Harutsch is the most remarkable region
that came within scope of my observation during this journey; its
extent has been stated to me at seven days journey over, from
north to south; and at five days from east to west: but in a subsequent
voyage from Fezzan to Tripoly, I fell in again with a branch
or tract of the Harutsch, and was there told, that it yet extended further
to the west. At Mourzouk, too, I was informed of black mountains
on the road leading southward to Bornou, on whose heights
the climate was of very cold temperature, and whence the people of
Mourzouk obtained their iron; and I conjecture that such mountainous
tract may be a further branch of the Harutsch, though having
indeed no positive information or proof of the immediate junction
or connection of these regions.
The rugged, broken, and altogether wild and terrific scene which
this desert tract affords, leads strongly to the supposition that its
surface at some period took its present convulsed form and appearance
from volcanic revolution. Its inequalities of ground are no
where of great altitude. The general face of country shews continued
ranges of hills, running in various directions, rising from eight
to twelve feet only above the level of the intermediate ground; and
between which branches, (on perfect flats, and without any gradual
ascent o f base or fore-ground,) rise up lofty insulated mountains,
whose sides are exceeding steep from the very base. A mountain
of this description, situated midway on journey over this desert, and
north of our caravan road, is by the Arabs termed Stres; it has the
appearance of being split from the top down to the middle. I was
prevented from particular exámination of it, but soon, bn our caravan
halting, had the opportunity of inspecting another of the same
kind.
1This mountain I perceived, from the foot to the summit, to be
covered with detached stones, Such as wholly constitute the lower
hills.’ The small plain from which this mountain rose, was encompassed
by rows of hills, such as above described, closely running
into each other, and connected as a wall. The flat within was overspread
with white quicksand, on which lay, irregularly scattered,
large blocks of stone, o f like nature and Substance as that generally
throughout this desert. With some trouble I procured a sample of
the earthy stratum beneath the sand : it seemed to me, at the time, to
have the appearance of ashes thrown out from a volcano ; but I have
since lost the paper which contained the specimen, and cannot further
confirm the accuracy of my first observation. In the vicinity
of this mountain, I found stones of smaller bulk and a reddish colour,
resembling that of burnt bricks ; some of these were one-half
red, the other blackish', the red part had not the same weight or
density, on fracture, as the black: the former is more porous and
spongy, and bears a general resemblance to slags or scoriae.
The stony substance, of which the mass of these mountains consists,
varies in colour and density; in some parts heavy and compact,
in others having small holes and cavities. These species of
stohe aré intermingled, and I eould not discover in either, any extraneous
matter or substance.