arks of the ostrich, gazelle, hare, habara, and some other
interesting animals, cover this portion of the desert. The gazelles have
more room, and the ostriches also. The former, besides, are out of the
way of the lion; for this beast seldom pursues its prey across the
desert plains.

People say we shall see many animals in the Hamadah, because the lion
does not come there. A large gazelle was taken this evening by some of
the caravan.

A few locusts and many fine butterflies were busy about. We are encamped
at a place called Agalgo, or Agallegu. There is a well at the distance
of an hour; so that the number of days during which no water is found is
reduced to three: but this water is a sort of collection from the rain
remaining beyond its time, and is not always found.

We are now on the edge of the plateau. En-Noor said to-day, "There are
five thousand camels with us;" but I question whether there be more than
two thousand. It is of great importance to ascertain this, for thus only
the force of the country may be estimated. We are now said to be eight
days from Damerghou.

The Sultan of Asoudee has detained many of En-Noor's young people, to
protect the country in case there be any troubles with the Kalfadai.

Several pieces of scoria, or lava, were found on the road, showing a
district here once to have had active volcanoes. The granite begins to
disappear, to be replaced by sandstone. This sandstone, generally,
according to Overweg, forms plateaux; whereas granite is found in rocks
and ridges in the midst of valleys.

_28th._--We started early. The camels move on at the beginning of their
day's work to the beating of the _kanga_, or drum. We have two or three
drums, but the drummers have little skill, and the beating is always the
same monotonous sound. Our course varied from S.E. to S.W., but lay
always southward, through shallow valleys, or low, indented, or
scooped-out plains; the whole country being what the people call
_hamadah_, or plateau. All the large trees have disappeared with the
doom-palm. Nevertheless there are everywhere the marks of water. Yet the
rain cannot fall here so much as in the mountainous regions which we
have left behind, for it is high ground only which brings down the rain
in Africa; except, indeed, near the equator. As yesterday, the sand and
soft earth are covered with the footmarks of gazelles, ostriches, the
habara, and even the giraffe. The people, in fact, say we shall see th