as we reach at length our camping-ground, and throw ourselves at full-length under the pleasing shade.  Even the camel-drivers were so fatigued, that they stretched out as soon as the command to halt was given, and let their animals stray at will, without taking the trouble to unload them.  I had observed the same supineness during our halts all through this trying district, which seems to oppress their imaginations as well as prostrate their bodies.  Several times I had been obliged myself to collect wood and make a fire to rally our lagging servants.  Indeed, on more than one occasion I was compelled to exert my personal authority.  On the third night, particularly, I wished all the people to rest one hour.  The camel-drivers resisted this reasonable request, and were backed by Yusuf.  When it became a question between myself and my interpreter, I jumped off my camel and stopped the caravan.  The chaouch supported me, and in this case at least behaved very well.  If we had continued all night, we should have made a march of sixteen hours,—­too much for the blacks, and indeed for any man on his feet.

On the whole, however, I have to observe, that as we approach Fezzan our camel-drivers are getting more civil and obliging.  Is this the genial effect of native air, or expectation of a present?  They have not mentioned the latter subject yet, but, on the contrary, promise me some dates.

The broad valley of El-Hasee is sandy, like all those of Fezzan.  It is bounded on the north by the perpendicular buttresses of the Hamadah, and on the south by sandy swells.  The well is not copious, but affords a regular supply of slightly brackish water.  The people descend to the bottom, thirty or forty feet, and fill their gerbahs.  The blacks are very troublesome, and require a good deal of patience.  This morning they would not fetch water from this well, although quite close by the tent.  I was obliged to threaten to leave them before I could get them to move.  They are, probably, a little broken down by the fatigue of the Hamadah.

We passed through Wady El-Hasee on the 24th, and after mid-day began to ascend, and continued to do so until we pitched tent at half-past four, at a place called Esfar.  This is also a species of plateau, but consists of sand-hills, sandstone rocks, and shallow valleys filled with herbage and shrubs.  I was glad to get rid of the eternal limestone and have a change of the sandstone.

On the 25th we started early, and had a cool temperature all day.  Our chaouch went out, and by the assistance of the greyhound bitch brought in a young gazelle.  For about three hours the camels had herbage; but afterwards came a desert more horrible even than the Hamadah.  It consists of sandstone rocks, and valleys covered with pebbles and loose blocks.  Some of the rocks are perfectly black, and would be considered by an European geologist, on a distant view, as basalt.  Until half-past four in the afternoon we did not see a blade of grass, a sprig of vegetation, or living thing of any description; but at the camping-ground was a thin scattering of herbage, near the foot of the black mountain called Solaou Marrafa.