roll, and 1 greatly feared we should be at a stand: fortunately, however, a man travelling our way came up with us, and helped us to re-load the camel, so that by 11. 45. we cleared the hills, and arrived on a heavy sandy plain, over which we toiled until 4. when we arrived at Terboo, the most wretched mud village I had as yet met with. All the men were mere skeletons, and the women equally miserable in appearance; yet they were obliged, poor and wretched as they were, to feed us and our horses without expecting a reward. I bought, however, a quantity of corn, and distributed amongst them; and they declared I was the first person coming from the Sultan, who had not distressed them by taking their small stock of provisions. Nothing could exceed the wretchedness of this place but the water, which was of a much worse quality than any we had tasted, from its close resemblance to sea water. A few old walls of about 12 feet high were in the centre of the huts, and were dignified by the name of the Castle. There are but few palms here, and the people subsist chiefly by attending camels, sent to feed on the Agool; and for the right of pasture they receive, in return, some very trifling payment in corn or dates. We made this day S, 12°. W. 10 miles. As it was Christmas day, Belford and myself drank to the health of our friends in England, in a bumper of coffee. Dec. 26th. Therm. 3°. 40', A beautiful morning; but being cold, we had a good fire, and at 8. 50, A. M. the camels started. We were much amused by the blacksmith of the village, who had his forge in the sand at the gate. A man from a neighbouring place came to ask his advice for a fiver complaint, which had for a long time troubled him; and having been so frequently burned with a red hot iron, in order to alleviate his complaint, his side was literally covered with scars. The blacksmith having felt the man’s side, and aaked many questions, told him, that the most certain remedy for his disorder would be three long burns across the back, which he assured him would soon put all to rights. Feeling compassion for the poor sufferer, I told him if he would follow me to the camels, I would give him some medicine which would relieve, instead of putting him to the torture ; but he refused, and I have no doubt paid the accustomed fee of corn, and submitted to the prescribed burning next morning. This operator showed us a file of his own making, of which he was very proud. It was a small bar of iron, and when red hot, had been notched by a flint. He boasted, that although its appearance was not in its favour, it was a far better file than any bought in Morzouk. From this place some remarkable mountains bore Mengar Mej- dool, S. 75°i W. Mengar Omesogueer, S. W. two miles ; and Mengar Terboo, N .E. one mile. We followed the camels, and arrived with them at 10. 20. at Omesogueer, .84 miles S.W. by W. of Terboo. Here we were shown the tomb of a very great M araboot ; and, as usual on such occasions, repeated the Fatha. This holy man was named Sidi Saïd el Tare, (or lion the bird) ; because, on every Friday, according to the people of the plain, he appeared in the form of a beautiful green bird during the Asr, or afternoon prayer ; but he was visible only to a few of his own relations and brother Maraboots. We passed over a salt plain, and came to some scattered palms, after which we entered on a larger plain, and arrived at Mejdool CjAss» at 1. 50. ; having travelled S. 75°. W. from Omesogueer. Mejdool is a large straggling village of mud and palm huts, and not surrounded by a wall ; it has, however, a castle in about thé same state of repair as the others we had seen. The people appear more lively and animated than the generality o f Fezzanners.--r-Behind the town
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