that accompanied the kafila, the last of their stock,
lay down in the road, and they were obliged to kill
him and throw the carcass on a camel; a parching thirst
oppressed them, which nothing alleviated. They
had made but little way by three o’clock in
the afternoon, when the wind got round to the eastward,
and imparted to them a little refreshment. With
this change they moved on until about five, when they
halted, protected a little by three several ranges
of irregular hills, some conical, and some table-topped.
As they had but little wood, their fare was confined
to tea, and they hoped to find relieve from their fatigues
by a sound sleep. That, however, was denied them;
the tent had been imprudently pitched, and was exposed
to the east wind, which blew a hurricane during the
night: the tent was blown down, and the whole
detachment were employed a full hour in getting it
up again; their bedding and everything within it was
during that time completely buried, by the constant
driving of the sand. Major Denham was obliged
three times during the night, to get up for the purpose
of strengthening the pegs, and when he awoke in the
morning, two hillocks of sand were formed on each
side of his head, some inches high. On the 7th
April, they arrived at a village in the midst of a
vast multitude of palm trees, just one day’s
journey short of Mourzouk. As it was to be the
last day’s march, they were all in good spirits
at the prospect of rest, and had they made their arrangements
with judgment, every thing would have gone on well.
They had, however, neglected sending
an axant courier,
to advise the sultan of their arrival, a practice
which ought particularly to have been attended to,
and consequently their reception was not what it ought
to have been. They arrived at D’leem, a
small plantation of date trees, at noon, and finding
no water in the well, were obliged to proceed, and
it was three in the afternoon before they arrived at
the wells near Mourzouk. Here they were obliged
to wait till the camels came up, in order that they
might advance in form. They might, however, have
saved themselves the trouble. No one came out
to meet them, except some naked boys, and a mixture
of Tibboos, Tuaricks, and Fezzanese, who gazed at
them with astonishment, and no very pleasant aspect.
They determined on not entering the town, in a manner
so little flattering to those whom they represented,
and retiring to a rising ground, a little distance
from the gates of the town, waited the return of a
chaoush, who had been despatched to announce
their arrival. After half an hour’s delay,
the Shiek el Blad, the governor of the town came out,
and in the sultan’s name requested they would
accompany him to the house, which had been prepared
for them, and he added, to their great surprise, the
English consul is there already. The fact was,
a very ill-looking Jew servant of Major Denham’s,
mounted on a white mule, with a pair of small canteens
under him, had preceded the camels and entered the