The river Noun rises in the mountains above Souk Aisa or Assa, and is there called Wad-el-Aisa; and, passing through the district of Wadnoun, it takes the name of Assaka.  The ancient name of this river was Daradus.  The territory around is not very fertile on account of the neighbourhood of the Desert, but produces gum, wax, and ostrich feathers in abundance.  The inhabitants are mostly Arabs with a sprinkling of Shelouh, estimated by Graeberg [35] at 2,000.  The population is somewhat thickly scattered; there are at least twenty villages between the district of Stuka and Wadnoun.

The annexed is a sketch of Wadnoun after the design left by Mr. Davidson.

[Illustration]

Wadnoun is an important rendezvous of caravans.  Many Timbuctoo caravans break up here, and some Saharan.  Several Saharan merchants come no further north, disposing of their slaves and goods to Maroquine merchants, who meet them in this place.

It is safe travelling through these countries, provided no extraordinary plot be laid for taking away a traveller’s life, as in the case of European explorers attempting to penetrate the interior.  Mr. Treppass thinks that, notwithstanding the ill-will of the Moorish Government, Davidson could have succeeded in his attempted journey to Timbuctoo had he been more circumspect.  He gave out to all persons whom he met that he was going to Timbuctoo.  This insured his being stopped and murdered en route by some party or other, more especially as he at last abandonod the idea of protecting himself by a caravan-party, and started alone.  But I am not altogether of this opinion.  Too much publicity is certainly injurious to a journey of discovery, and far and near awakens attention and suspicion; but a too sudden and unexpected appearance in the towns of the Desert, equally excites distrust and suspicion, if not hostile feelings.

Mr. Robertson, whilst at Morocco, heard one of the numerous versions of the death of Mr. Davidson.  He is said to have been killed by the mere freak of a young Arab, who wished to have the pleasure of killing a Christian, and who called out to his companions, “Come, let us go and have a shot at the Christian.”  The party of Arabs to whom this mischievous young man belonged, was afterwards extremely grieved at what had been done.  One of the Arabs, in plundering the baggage, lost his hand by breaking a bottle containing aqua fortis.  The glass cut a large gash, and the aqua fortis entering immediately, consumed the hand.  The people cried out, “The devils of the Christian are in the water!” From all I have heard, the great fault of Davidson appears to have been his wishing to travel as like “a fine gentleman.”  This prejudiced all his travelling-companions against him, and could not fail to render him unpopular wherever he went.