hills of yellow limestone. At eleven the plain became more distinct; distant hills to the right, and desert plain extending to the le ft: this latter was called El Ghrazzie uijl/JL At 1. 16. mountains closed in, in the form of a crescent, having two black hills half a mile from the road, called Roos Ghraab 01 the heads of the ravens. At two arrived at Temenhint having travelled N. 56 , E. 15 miles. In the evening we had occasion to buy straw for the camels, in a way I had never before seen, of the people who came out from the town to trade with us. Shreef Sadig soon instructed me in this new mode of barter. The person who has to sell mentions what he wishes in exchange for certain commodities, whether oil, liquid butter, or shahm, which is a kind of salted fat much resembling bad tallow in taste and smelL I f liquids, he pours water into a pot in proportion to the quantity of oil or butter he requires; if solids, he brings a stone of the size of the shahm, or other article demanded. The buyer pours out water, or sends for smaller stones, until he thinks a fair equivalent is offered. The quantities then agreed for are made up to the size of the stone, or the depth of the water. Temenhint is so completely surrounded by date trees, that it is not seen from the road. It is a small walled village, and considered by traders as the most inhospitable in Fezzan. Wednesday, 16th. Therm. 1°.—A t 7. 30. started. Stony desert to the left and right, with bushes occasionally. A t 9. 45. descended to a sandy hatia, called Hatia Gurmayda A t 4. 30. arrived at Zeghen ; having travelled N . 75°. E. 22 miles. We built up our goods under the walls, and lay there. Having been so long accustomed to black faces, I fancied that the natives, who are entirely a white population, looked sickly. The women are reputed to be very handsome; but I did not enter the town, and if I had done so, should not have seen them. We had numerous ■visitors, and a large supply of food, Lizari’s general acquaintance «.pnhUng us to procure whatever we wanted. They gave us an account of a wedding which had taken place that morning, speaking much of the beauty:? f the bride; and on hearing her named, we found that she was the very girl whom Lizari intended demanding of her father on his return from Tripoli. H e was much confounded, but bore with great good humour our joking him at being too late. The successful lover was aware of Lizari’s intentions; and on hearing he had set out from Morzouk, instantly demanded, and bore off the prize. Thursday, February 17th. Thermometer 0.—A t eight we set off over an uneven plain to a stony desert, a cold north wind blowing. After passing some hills, we arrived at the Hatia, and wells of Om el Abeed, having gone north 50°. E. twelve miles. We met a few Arabs from Sockna, who said that Sidi Mohammed ben Shaib was expected, on his way to the Sultan of Bomou, with ■presents from .the Bashaw: they also: said an Englishman was with him; but I concluded the report to have originated in its being known at Tripoli, that Belford and myself were to have accompanied him. In the evening, we filled and mended our Gerbas, and otherwise prepared for passing the five days’ desert now before us. The Arabs amused themselves by placing a camel’s skull on a rising ground, and firing ball at it, all resting their guns; only one, however, struck it. I rose to fire; but they all laughed at me for not placing my gun on a branch, or otherwise steadying it; I nevertheless struck the head twice, when, resolving not to lose my reputation as a good shot, I laid down my gun with indifference, pretending I could hit it as often as I pleased. The Arabs were astonished (and I must own I was equally so, being but an indifferent shot in general), and gave me the title of Bendag, or marksman. Baba Hassein, whom we again joined at Zeghen, had never
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