I gave this morning more presents to our servants, and lectured them on their duties.  All things considered, they have behaved very well.  When they saw the great quantity of goods given away or forced from us by strangers, they naturally began to think what there would be left for them, who always remained with us, and worked for us.

The being chief of an expedition of this kind is certainly no sinecure; but I am sure that no one who has not occupied a similar post can conceive the anxieties and disquietudes under which I have laboured during all these difficult days.  Almost ever since our departure from Ghat we have been in fear, either for our lives or our property.  Danger has ever hung hovering over us, sometimes averted, sometimes seeming to be turned into smoke; but within this week the strokes of ill fortune have fallen upon us with increasing fury.  We try to persuade ourselves that there is now nothing more to fear, and every one joins in nursing what may be a delusion.

The marabouts indulge the vain hope that, through the influence of the great En-Noor of Tintalous, we may yet become Muslims.  It would appear that the whole of the inhabitants of the village of Tintaghoda are marabouts, and so the race of saints is propagated from generation to generation.  Generally, the children of the marabouts are good-looking.  It is said that some of the mischievous boys were the parties who drove off our cattle.

In spite of all the sanctity of this place, and its reputation that it is free from theft, En-Noor of our escort told us yesterday evening to watch well during the night, that our things might not be stolen.

We Christians cannot trust our things here.  The Sfaxee, however, leaves his goods in the place, and will go with us to-morrow.  Tintaghoda may be a safe depot for Muslims, not for Christians.

I have omitted to notice in its proper place, but may record here, that one of the free black females was lost for a couple of days in the desert, and recovered after the disaster.

Whatever we have yet seen of Aheer in a geological point of view, shows that it is essentially a region of granite rocks, between which are a series of fine valleys, running one into another.  The granite is in great varieties; there are four specimens of granite marble; some pieces of pure limestone marble have also been collected; the granite rocks are blackened by the sun and atmosphere, and wear the appearance of basalt.

About four o’clock this afternoon there was a cry in the encampment—­not that the Haghar were coming—­not that another troop of robbers and wild people were advancing upon us to attack us; but the cry was, “El wady jaee!” “The wady is coming!” Going out to look, I saw a broad white sheet of foam advancing from the south between the trees of the valley.  In ten minutes after a river of water came pouring along, and spread all around us, converting the place of