s--Wife of
Es-Sfaxee--An Arab Saying--Letters--Disease--Arrival of Escort--Eastern
Consulates--Business--Hateetah--The Son of Shafou--Poor Sheikhs--Hard
Bargain.

_May 7th._--We are already busy with preparations for our start to the
interior. Mr. Gagliuffi has written to Ghat to-day for Hateetah and his
escort of Tuaricks. Excitement protects us, perhaps, from the deadly
influence of the climate of Mourzuk. Mr. Gagliuffi is recovering from a
severe attack, and anticipates being obliged to leave for the coast. We
trust he will not be driven from his post whilst we are in Soudan.
However, we must trust to the same Providence that has hitherto watched
over us.

I am having all our letters of recommendation for the interior copied,
to be sent home to Government, so that if anything happen to us they may
know what kind of support we have received. If anything happen! The
presence of that doubt gives a solemnity and an importance to the most
trifling thing we do. A soldier is allowed to indulge in serious thought
before going into battle, and the chances in his favour are greater than
those in ours. We, too, may have to do battle with men; but the dangers
of the desert are also arrayed against us, and when they are passed, the
miasmas of Central Africa fill the air beyond.

The marabout, with his camel and burden, has not yet come up; he left us
to visit his country. We are likewise still without news of three
camel-loads left behind at Mizdah. There is always a train of stragglers
behind every caravan that is not huddled together by fear. We should
never have procured beasts enough on the road, and did well to take them
direct from Tripoli. The Pasha's circular letter was of little or no use
in this respect; and, indeed, we could not expect it to cause camels to
start out of the ground.

_8th._--I paid a visit to the commandant of the troops, Runthar Aga, Bim
Bashaw, quite a Christian Moor; and got information on military affairs
whilst tasting the soup in the kitchen. Also called upon our old friend
the Doctor, and inspected the hospital, which certainly holds out no
temptation to a man to be ill. The patients are few: two have strong
fevers; five or six are convalescent; the sick-list contains no other
cases; but it will be different when summer comes on.

_9th._--Received a visit from the acting Governor, and presented him
with a bottle of snuff. Like other great men, this Pasha makes a great
consumption of rappe