gratitude. After about three hours my fit went gradually off, and my man holding me carefully on the camel, brought me at nightfall to the Kaffie, which had waited for me. We were encamped at Wad el Meseed a river of no magnitude, running through steep sandy cliffs. We had made about twenty miles west-north- west. Friday, 24th March.—I found myself very weak, but much better. Belford continued quite deaf, but we were in high spirits at the idea that our journey would soon be at an end, and that we should once again behold our dear friends. We proceeded at seven, our road being chiefly along the sea-coast. A t eleven passed Wad el Bamle, or “ the sandy river,” which is a small stream, running through sand hills: on its borders are luxuriant fields of com. At three the man whom I had sent forward with a letter to the Consul brought me news that he proposed coming out to meet us. A t four we entered Tejoura I was on a camel anxiously looking out for him, when himself, his two sons, Dr. Dickson, and Messrs. Car- stensen, came galloping towards us. I soon slipped down on my legs, but was obliged to stop them, for they would otherwise have passed on without recognizing either Belford or myself, so much was our appearance altered. We pitched our tent in a space near the great Mosque, and passed the evening most agreeably. The Consul’s sons remained with me, but the rest of the party were obliged to go on to Tripoli, promising to meet me on the morrow, and to accompany me into the town. We had a fine Arab supper cooked by Lizari’s Negress, and were all Kaffirs enough to drink wine, and even to eat some pork, when Lizari was out of the way. Saturday, March 25th, 1820.—Exactly one year from the day we left Tripoli, we re-entered the town, accompanied by the Consul and Mr. Carstensen. All our friends received us most kindly,, and I was fortunately enabled on that evening to send a letter to Lord Bathurst, informing his Lordship of our safe return. I lodged our goods in the Portuguese consular house, with which Col. Warrington had kindly accommodated us, though not without having repeatedly pressed us to make his own house our home. Notwithstanding my happiness at once more joining my Christian friends, I really felt no small regret at taking leave of our poor fellow travellers, many of whom I knew were destined to proceed to Tunis and Turkey. Their good humoured gaiety and songs had lightened to me many hours of pain and fatigue, and their gratitude for any little benefits I had it in my power to confer had quite warmed my heart towards them. Even when so exhausted as to be almost unable to walk, these poor creatures showed few instances of sulkiness or despondency; the first stanza of a song having been sung by one, enlivened the whole Kaffie, who immediately joined in chorus. Their patience under fatigue, and endurance of thirst, was very extraordinary. Khalifa’s girls were allowed to drink only once in twenty-four hours, yet they were always cheerful. I was frequently amused by observing the pains taken by these innocent savages to adorn themselves; their love of finery never ceasing, even when no one was near to admire them. Though overcome by privation of every kind, and by the fatigue of a long day’s journey, they employed themselves in converting into neck ornaments, snail shells, berries, or any other whimsical objects they could meet with. Those who possessed rings, bead bands for the head, or silver ear-rings, never failed to put them on when they stopped for the night, washing and oiling their skins whenever they had an opportunity; they also constantly used Kbhol to blacken their eyelids, and to make different marks on the face. One of the women of the Fellata had a little male child, which was carried by turns by the whole Kaffir. Her milk had failed her, and this poor infant had nothing to nourish him but a mixture of cold
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