day in our company. H e gave us a hearty welcome, and set before us a large wooden bowl of dates, mashed up with hot oil, which we found very good; its appearance was not unlike soft soap. The women sat behind a carpet, and peeped at us through a small hole in it.; After quitting our kind host, we crossed the broad bed of a water-course, when our road lay between two mountains, the right hand one being called Smeeran and that on the left Batus distant from each other about one mile and a half. Here the ground began to rise a little, and greater quantities of herbage appeared. We travelled on in hopes of finding a well until 4. 30., but without success; we therefore pitched our tents on a little rising ground, near some Arabs, and after much trouble, succeeded in purchasing a skin or two of water for our horses. The Sheikh provided an excellent supper of Bazeen and stewed lamb for u s ; and we had a full tent of Arabs squatted on their heels, who came to look at us whilst we were eating. After our dinner we made a little coffee, which, as well as our European cups, excited much astonishment. We offered some to the Sheikh, who not knowing what it was, suspected some treachery, and at first refused to take i t ; however, by a little persuasion, we overcame his prejudice, and seeing that we ourselves drank some, he at length swallowed it with confidence. One of the party, on tasting some, spat it , out in horror, calling loudly on the Prophet, “ Ya Kas- soul Ilia 4SI p p l Oh, Prophet of God!” A third was So much pleased with it, and became so great a connoisseur, that he absolutely refused a second cup, because it was too cold. A Kaleide- scope was handed round to the visitors, and excited general admiration and amazement; like children, they quarrelled for their turns to look through it, and if I might judge from the repeated laughter and exclamations made use of, many extraordinary observa-.. c h a p . a JOURNEY IN THE MOUNTAINS. 23 tions were made on the subject. The old Sheikh in particular would scarcely bear to have it taken out of his hand. Jackals and hyaenas are very numerous here; but the quantity of noisy dogs which attend the flocks keep them in awe, whilst they also kept us half the night awake. Tuesday* Qth l'ebruary.—A t 7, A. M. we:struck our tents/and went on for Gharian. The country here had quite changed its appearance- The paths, which in many places were covered with broken basalt, were uneven and difficult; and the ground became steep and irregular as we approached the foot of the mountains. A t three we rode a little to the left of the track, and fastening our horses, climbed a small conical mountain of basalt, having very little earth at the top of it, and called El Kelb Assoud or “ the Black Dog.” Near this were two or three smaller hillocks, also entirely of basalt. Our road was through a barren, but beautiful and romantic valley, at the .foot of the mountains. A t ten we arrived at the foot of the Gharian Pass. This spot is encompassed on three sides by lofty mountains, and opens to the north-east; There are some scattered palms here, and a clear stream winds among them. Here a small Eaffl6 passed us, consisting of ten or twelve camels, and amongst them one or two Maherries, laden with Trona, or soda, from Eezzan. Their owners; were brown, wild looking men, and appeared of a different cast from the Arabs of Tripoli. In this little valley, about ten years since, the Hasnadar, or Treasurer of the Bashaw, was murdered. H e was on his way to collect tribute from the mountaineers (which, in those days, was rarely obtained but by force); and, as the Bashaw had newly made peace with them, he was but poorly attended. Whilst performing his ablutions and shaving his head, he was fired at and killed by some men stationed on the rocky pass* who again ascended their
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