recommend my going without loss of time. “ Belial shall go with you,” said h e ; “ who has been in my confidence for seventeen years, and to whom I could trust my own life, or that of my children, who are even dearer to me than life itself.” But in the morning we found a brown horse, which had carried Mr. Toole from Tripoli, dead within our inclosure: both this and a black one, which his Arab had been mounted on by the bashaw, had scarcely eaten any thing since their arrival here. Our departure was therefore put off for this day. Troubles, howevfer, never come alone. In the evening the camels I intended to take with me were missing; and although the people were out looking for them until midnight, we had no tidings. In the night I was called up, as Mr. Toole’s other horse was dying: no blood could be got from him; and after staggering about, in a way resembling intoxication, he died before daylight. Jan. 22Sgi-Karouash, Ben Taleb, and even the sheikh, now exclaiming against our going out, “Wonderful! Wonderful!” said they, “ it is written you are not to go.” The delay perplexed me, although to go, and quickly, I was determined; the time was precious, for I did not wish the news of my intentions to precede me. Towards night my camels were found; and the sheikh, hearing that we had been inquiring for a horse to purchase* sent a very smart black galloway to Mr. Toole as a present. 'W e had now seen die on our hands, in the space of nine months, thirty-three camels, six horses, and one mule. On the 23d I intended being off by daylight; but it was the afternoon before I could accomplish my wish. The sheikh had given me Belial: “ He will obey your orders in every thing,” said h e ; “ but you are going amongst people with whom I have but little influence.” Belial, who was one of the handsomest negroes I almost ever saw, and a superior person, was attended by six of his slaves, two of whom were mounted ; these, with ourselves and two camels, formed our party. While I was waiting to take leave of the sheikh, a note was brought me from Dr. Oudney, by a Bornouese from Katagum : it had no date, and was indeed his last effort. The acknowledgment of being weak and helpless assured me that he was really so; for during the whole of his long sufferings a complaint had scarcely ever escaped his lips. On the sheikh’s saying to him, when he first expressed his wish to accompany the kafila, “ Surely your health is not such as to risk such a journey ?” he merely replied, “ Why, if I stay here, I shall die, and probably sooner, as travelling always improves my health.” r His letter, though short, expresses great satisfaction at the treatment he had met with on his journey, and also from the inhabitants of the country. Cornfields 6 G
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