y people without a
tremendous quarrel. Our blacks seemed to be in a peculiarly excitable
state. Ali, especially, who has distinguished himself for several days
in the obstreperous line, has had a regular turn-to with his
father-in-law; and not satisfied with this, nearly strangled Moknee's
son. The Mandara black threw himself on the ground and called
out,--"Load my pistol, O Chaouch; I must shoot this reprobate Ali!"

This fellow is a pest in the caravan, and I have been obliged to send
him off and insist on his return to Tripoli. He may be brought to his
senses in this way.

CHAPTER IV.

Commence crossing the Hamadah--Last Pillar of the Romans--Travelling in
the Desert--Rapid March--Merry Blacks--Dawn--Temperature--Ali
returns--Day-travelling--Night-feelings--Animals--Graves of
Children--Mirage--Extent of the Plateau--It breaks up--Valley of
El-Hasee--Farewell to the Hamadah--Arduous Journey--The
Camel-drivers--New Country--Moral and religious Disquisitions--The
Chaouches--Reach Edree--Abd-el-Galeel--Description of Edree--Subterranean
Dwellings--Playing at Powder--The Kaid--Arabic Literature--Desertion of
the Zintanah--Leave Edree--Sandy Desert--Bou Keta the Camel-driver--Wady
El-Makmak--The Lizard--Reach Wady Takadafah--Sand--Another _Embroglio_.

The sun was setting as our caravan, which we had collected in as compact
a body as possible, got under way, and rising out of the valley of
Tabooneeah, began to enter upon the plateau. It is difficult to convey
an idea of the solemn impressions with which one enters upon such a
journey. Everything ahead is unknown and invested with perhaps
exaggerated terrors by imagination and report. The name of Desert--the
waterless Desert--hangs over the horizon, and suggests the most gloomy
apprehensions. Behind, in the fading light, the trees of the valley
still show their dim groups; before, the lofty level, slightly broken by
undulations, stretches away. There was one cheering thought, however. My
companions had by this time set up their tent for the night; and
although, creeping along at the camel's slow pace, we could not expect
to come up to that temporary home until it was about to be deserted,
still the knowledge of its existence took away much of the mysterious
terror with which I entered upon this desolate region in the hour of
coming shadows. An additional solemnity was imparted to the commencement
of this arduous journey by the fact that we now passed the last pi