gave way at once, and no doubt the whole would have fallen in before night; though the old man and woman stood fearlessly under it, and asserted that it could not happen, because no roof had ever fallen in their master’s house. The people here have an idea, that corn grows more luxuriantly in salt earth than in any other, and from the appearance of the crops, I am inclined to be of the same opinion. A t eleven I sent the Maherry on, and waited, at the Maraboot’s request, to partake of a mess which he was preparing for us. I observed that Kaid Saad’s horse seemed in very poor case, and was greedily eating date leaves; but this was soon accounted for, on my learning that the allowance of food which he received for the poor beast was all sent home to the favourite wife. The people o f this place have (if possible) a more whining tone in their salutations, than those of Morzouk. I sent the Maraboot a knife and pair of scissars; and at 12. 45. left the town, attended by Yussuf’s slaves, who saw us well on our road, and then took their leave of us. A t 8.15. came up with the Maherry, and at 3.25. entered a miserable assemblage of about two dozen mud and palm huts, called Zaitoon, having proceeded east-south-east seven miles over a gravelly plain. We met the Kaid of Traghan on the road, with some other horsemen who were bringing eight slaves and some sheep, the property of Augela merchants. As the huts promised but little comfort, we pitched our tent in the midst of them, to the astonishment of the natives; who, on hearing from Saad (who never forgot to order a dinner) that we were very great men, and friends of the Sultan, dispersed themselves about the village to eatch all the unlucky fowls that came in their way, and, in consequence, we had six served up in an hour after we arrived. The Kaid felt much hurt at my paying for them, as he was afraid it would be the means of spoiling the people, who would always,, in future, expect remuneration. Dec. 18th. Thermometer 5" at the tent door. Fine clear morning, with the wind to the eastward. We had much difficulty in catching our horses, which had broken their tethers, and run out on the desert ; even the Kaid’s Rosinanté was capering about : my horse, however, stopped at the sound of my voice, and by 9.15. we were enabled to proceed. At about three-quarters of a mile southeast by east of Zaitoon, is another village of the same description, called Touela, jj||| We passed through it, and, I believe, shook hands with every male inhabitant in the place. Near this village is a large heap of ruins, said to have once been a castle, the walls of which are, though roughly built, very curious. Between a rising ground a little to the eastward, and the principal well, there are twelve others, each about four yards apart, and having arched communications sufficiently high for a man to walk erect in. Leaving Touèla, we ascended to a bleak stony plain, running on to the désert on the left, and having very irregular sand hills, about the distance of two miles to the right: We directed our course north 65° east. A strong north-east wind was blowing, and I observed, as in coming from Tripoli, that in the coldest days the sun has the greatest power of burning the skin. Belford and myself were completely disfigured about the nose, which became very red, and smarted painfully. At eleven the sand hills closed in, and we came again to a few palms and a small village called Maghwa, We remained to warm ourselves in the sun by a well side, and were joined by Besheer el Dthucker, the Kaid of Traghan’s brother, who had followed us full speed from Morzouk. At 11. 45. the camel having passed, we went on ; and at 1. SO. came again to sand hills. At 2. 10. we arrived with the horses at Taleb, (Fox), a village with about eighteen palm trees, and four or five mud huts : the Sheikh brought us out some dates and very salt water. The mountains between us and Hamera, »¿a», called El Gara, bore north E E
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