t, and I have no doubt that some may be found in every wady, a
little below the surface. Birds begin now to reappear: a few swallows, a
dove, and some small twitterers, were seen to give life to the otherwise
melancholy wadys.

Dr. Overweg examined the sand, which rolled in great heaps on every
side, and found it to consist of grains of four kinds,--white, yellow,
red, and black; the latter colour caused by the presence of iron. These
variegated sands form the basis of sandstone, and may be a decomposition
of sandstone. The sand near Tripoli is of a finer sort, consisting
mostly of a decomposition of limestone. There is a blue-black earth in
the wadys, arising from the wood, a species of crumbling coal.

This evening we had a famous _embroglio_ between our chaouch and the
marabout. The latter had caught a waran, or large species of lizard, and
skinned it to dispose of the skin. The chaouch impudently swore he had
been eating the flesh of the reptile--a direful accusation. A tremendous
war of words ensued; and not of words only, for presently the holy man
came in for a gratification of ropes' end. All the Fezzanees rushed
forward to save the honour of the marabout; and the chaouch retreated to
my tent in search of arms. A stupid joke was on the point of leading to
murder. I interfered, and succeeded in appeasing the storm in some
degree. I then rated the chaouch soundly for beating a man invested with
a sacred character in the eyes of all Musulmans. This produced a good
effect, and the culprit, hanging his head, seemed ashamed of the part he
had played. Subsequently he kissed the hand of the holy man, and they
were reconciled.

CHAPTER V.

More sandy Desert--Fatiguing March--Water and
Herbage--Water-drinking--Sight the Plateau over the Mourzuk--Hot
Wind--Arrival in El-Wady--Tuaricks--Laghareefah--Fezzanees--The
Chaouches astray--The Sheikh Abd-el-Hady--Description of
the Oasis--Tempest--Native Huts--Official Visits--Desert
News--Camel-drivers--Ruins of Azerna--Move on--The Kaid--Modest
Requests--Ladies of the Wady--Leave the Oasis--Vast Plain--Instinct of
the Camel--Reach Agar--Reception--Precede the Caravan--Reach
Mourzuk--Mr. Gagliuffi--Honours paid to the Mission--Acting
Pasha--Climate--Route from Tripoli--Its Division into Zones--Rain in the
Desert.

On the 1st of May we had an arduous piece of work to perform. The
khafilah was in motion fourteen entire hours, over heavy sand, with the
hot wind breathi