terior have their holy
cities. Perhaps this worthy man made these observations because he had
nothing else to say. At any rate, having expressed his opinion, he went
off. I regretted his churlish warning; but his presence, to a certain
extent, cheered me. It was pleasant to know that a large body of my
fellow-creatures were near at hand in this inhospitable desert, even
though they entertained feelings of suspicion against us, and were
proceeding on a path which might never again bring us together. Caravans
often pass thus in these regions, like ships at sea, which hail each
other if within hearing, but, not lying-to, are satisfied by this slight
testimony of mutual sympathy.

_11th._--We started somewhat late, and made a good day of nine hours and
a-half through winding narrow valleys, supplying a fair quantity of
hasheesh. The country around was wild and rugged--still the same
primitive formation, gneiss being the most common rock. On the way we
heard the story of the origin of the Kailouees, as given by the Haghar
Tuaricks; it is probably meant as a satire. According to this people, a
female slave escaped from their country, and travelling over the desert,
reached her native place in Soudan. But she bore within her bosom a
pledge that still half bound her to her ancient masters. She brought
forth a male child, and loved him and reared him; so that in process of
time he took a wife, and from this union sprung the bastard race of
Kailouees.

_12th._--We had halted the previous evening because we were within an
hour of the well of Tajetterat, which had become famous in our caravan
as the place where we were to be attacked and despoiled by the
freebooter Sidi Jafel Waled Sakertaf. This morning we pursued our way,
cautiously sending scouts before. But as the wady opened, the place
proved to be desolate, and we advanced joyously, with the confidence
that this time at least we had been disturbed by a false alarm. Still,
as we descended towards the well we could not now and then refrain from
casting our glances about into the gorges of the mountains, to discover
whether or not, after all, our enemies were lying in ambush there. Not a
living thing stirred upon the hills; and we gathered round the two
wells, or rather holes scraped out of the sand, with feelings of delight
and confidence. The water proved to be good; it is said to be produced
by rain, and to be purgative,--a quality it must derive from the soil
through which