sound of our language; and he also desired me to leave with him an English copy.  This we did, with some explanation of the contents in an Arabic letter on the back.  We then took our copy in Arabic.  The sword pleased him greatly, on account of its lightness, for he is an old man, not very strong; and because it glittered with gold.  We wrote the maker’s name in Arabic, and gave directions to have it well preserved.  He inquired after Drs. Barth and Overweg, and seemed to take great interest in our welfare.

In the midst of our conversation a lady, one of the Sultan’s female relations, came, moved no doubt by curiosity, into the room.  She was evidently a fine dame, a person of fashion in this Saharan capital.  Her countenance, in due obedience to the requirements of ton, was not “rouged up to the eyes,” but “yellowed up to the eyes!” There cannot be a more appalling custom.  Imagine a young lady, of brown-black complexion, daubed with brilliant yellow ochre!  The paint covers the whole face, from the roots of the hair to the lower jaw, forming two semicircles with the upper lips.  Between the eyes are three black beauty-spots, descending perpendicularly on the bridge of the nose.  The eyebrows are blackened, and joined, so as to form one immense arch across the face, under the yellow brow.  Is it possible to disguise the human countenance more completely?

The dark-blue cotton skirt of this lady was turned up behind over her head, so as to form a kind of hood; but underneath she wore a coloured petticoat.  Generally, the women of Tintalous wear a frock, or chemise, and a piece of cotton wrapper over their head and shoulders.[18] This wrapper, which serves as a shawl, is not unlike, in effect, the black veil worn by the Maltese women.  The lady we saw at En-Noor’s wore a profusion of necklaces, armlets, and anklets of metal, wood, and horn.  She gazed about for some time and then went her way.  After asking and receiving permission to hoist the British flag over the tents, and to fire a salute, we imitated her example.  This is my first success in diplomacy!  On returning, we prepared for our evening’s festivities, but the tempest assailing us we waited till fairer weather.

 [18] Answering to the gown and head-veil of the
      fellahs.—­Ed.

At five in the evening we hoisted the British flag, and fired no less than a hundred musket discharges.  I do not recollect that this ceremony was ever before performed in the desert, in Bornou or Soudan, although the union-jack certainly now flies at Mourzuk and Ghadamez, on the roofs of the consular houses.

Now I pray God that our great troubles may be over in Aheer—­little troubles we must always encounter, and bear with fortitude.  Our servants and friends are much rejoiced at our success with En-Noor, and they promise me farther success in Soudan and Bornou.  Alas!  God alone knows what is reserved for us; but we must not despair after these, events of Aheer.  At first all was black, without one solitary ray of light; now, all the Sultans of Aheer are determined they say, conjointly, to afford us protection:  whilst the people are showing themselves more friendly every day.