walled, and appears very inferior to the other two in point of neatness, comfort, and convenience, though its aspect is much more pleasing, as it is built on a conical hill, on the top of which are some enclosed houses, called the Castle. Here there is a well of great depth, cut through the solid rock, and evidently not the work of the Bedouins. One of the Shreefs took us into a mosque, that we might examine a curious stone, bearing an Arabic inscription in raised letters, and, from its date, it must have been above six hundred years old. It was let into the mud wall, but no one knew where it had been found. Mr. Kitchie did not attempt to copy it, as we were not yet enough acquainted with the customs of the Arabs to know if it would be permitted. The tombs and mosques, as at Hoon, were ornamented with quantities of ostrich eggs. The natives of Wadan are Arabs of the tribe Moajer fAy*, who chiefly spend their time in attending their flocks at the Syrtis and resident shreefs, or descendants of the Prophet; the latter forming the greater part of the population. There is a chain of mountains,.a few miles east of the town, called also Wadan, on account of the immense number of buffaloes to be found there, and which are of three species; viz. the Wadan, an animal of the size of an ass, having very large horns, short reddish hide, and large bunches of hair hanging from each shoulder, to the length of eighteen inches or two fe e t: they have very large heads, and are very fierce. The Bogra el Weish which is a red buffalo, slow in its motions, having large horns, and being of the size of an ordinary cow; and the white buffalo of a lighter and more active make, very shy and swift, and not easily procured. The calving time of these animals is in April or May. There are also in these mountains great quantities of ostriches, by hunting which many of the natives subsist. All the Arabs here agree respecting the manner in which these birds sit oh their eggs, and which I was not before aware of. They are not left to be hatched by the warmth of the sun, but the parent bird forms a rough nest, in which she covers from fourteen to eighteen eggs, and regularly sits on them in the same manner as the common fowl does on her chickens; the male occasionally relieving the female. I t is during the breeding season that the greatest numbers are procured, the Arabs shooting the old ones while on their nests. A t all the three towns, Sockna, Hoon, and Wadan, it is the custom to keep tame ostriches in a stable, and in two years, to take three cuttings of their feathers. I imagine, from what I have seen of the skins of ostriches brought for sale, that all the fine feathers sent to Europe are from tame birds ; the wild ones being generally so ragged and torn, that not above half a dozen good perfect ones can be found. The white feathers axe what I allude t o ; the black, being shorter and more flexible, are generally good: All the camels belonging to these people are sent to the Syrtis, to pasture; a distance of about five days’ journey. I t sometimes occurs, that after a great deal of rain has fallen, the plains beyond the Wadan mountains acquire sufficient verdure to feed the cattle for a few weeks. On this evening we had some juice of the palm-tree, called Lackbi, brought us, together with some m ilk; and the dancing women remained until midnight. The tribute was all paid at the evening prayer. April 16th.—Returned to Hoon, where we were received as before. It being Friday, we saw every one preparing to go to the assembly at the Mosque. Mr. Kitchie declined attending; but I was determined to make my debut, and to see how I could go through the necessary formalities. I therefore prepared myself, by endeavouring to appear quite unconcerned, and readily accompanied the Sultan’s chief followers, who seemed pleased at my joining them. There were about 200 people present, and additional prayers were recited in honour of the Sultan (Mukni) and
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