at warrior who once lived, and was
named by the people Bou Seif, because he always carried a sword.

Our chaouch gave us an account of this young man in the following
strain:--"He is in very deed a marabout! His wife never unveiled her
face to any man; and his own mother kisses his hand. He is master of
wealth, and never leaves this valley. He has a house and flocks of
sheep, and a hundred camels, which always rest in the valley, bringing
forth young, and are never allowed to go into the caravans," &c. &c.

We were detained during the whole of the 13th, because the water was at
a distance and our people had to fetch it. There were marks of recent
rain in the valley, but there is no well; only a few muddy puddles. Dr.
Barth, in wandering about, discovered here a splendid mausoleum, of
which he brought back a sketch. It was fifty feet high, of
Roman-Christian architecture,--say of the fourth or fifth century. No
doubt, remains of cities and forts will be discovered in these
districts. Such tombs as these indicate the presence in old time of a
large and opulent population.

One of the nagahs foaled this day, which partly accounts for our
detention. For some time afterwards the cries of the little camel for
its mother, gone to feed, distressed us, and called to our mind the life
of toil and pain that was before the little delicate, ungainly thing. It
is worth noticing, that the foal of the camel is frolicsome only for a
few days after its birth--soon becoming sombre in aspect and solemn in
gait. As if to prepare it betimes for the rough buffeting of the world,
the nagah never licks or caresses its young, but spreads its legs to
lower the teat to the eager lips, and stares at the horizon, or
continues to browse.

Our people clubbed together and bought a goat for a mahboub. They then
divided it into five lots, and an equal number of thongs was selected by
the five part-owners of the meat; these were given to a stranger not
concerned in the division, and he arbitrarily placed one upon each
piece, from which decision there was no appeal.

On the 14th we rose before daybreak, and were soon in motion. No change
was noticed in the country, limestone rocks and broad valleys running in
all directions. The ground is sometimes scattered with fossil shells,
some of the _exogyra_, others of the oyster species; all flints. There
were apparent traces of the hyaena, but of no other wild animals. Some
sheep were at graze; and the long