Perhaps the first melons ever eaten at Mourzuk appeared on Mr. Gagliuffi’s table about this time; they were very good.

12th.—­The Germans were preparing to start early in the morning; they are obliged to lighten everything, and reduce each camel load to two and a-half, or even two cantars.  The Tuaricks will not carry more; generally their maharees are small, and they have few stray camels.  The Germans went off in good style and great spirits.  They propose to accompany a caravan of Tanelkum Tuaricks, who go by way of Aroukeen, leaving Ghat far on the right.  I was not able to persuade them to delay their departure, so that we might all travel together:  but it may be expected that they will not find it so very easy or safe to get through this country without the special protection of those who claim authority over it.

Two or three days of gheblee succeeded—­unpleasant weather to be out in the desert.  I found it bad enough at Mourzuk—­100 deg. in the shade at four o’clock in the afternoon.  Hateetah was reported to be on the road; so I determined to wait five or six days for him, and thus not deviate from my original plan.

I went to visit the wife of Mohammed Es-Sfaxee, who goes with us to Soudan as a merchant, carrying a considerable quantity of goods on account of M. Gagliuffi:  this gentleman accompanied me.  The object of our visit was to see whether the Sfaxee had left a sufficient quantity of provisions with his wife to support her during his absence.  It is necessary to take such precautions with these Moors, who often barbarously abandon their families, without any adequate provision, for months and even for years together.  We found that he had left dates, wheat, and a little olive-oil and mutton-fat—­the ordinary stock of all families in Fezzan.  Only a few rich people indulge in such luxuries as coffee, sugar, meat, and liquid butter.

An Arab saying:  “You must always put other people’s things on your head, and your own under your arm.  Then, if there be danger of the things falling off your head, you must raise your arm, and let fall your own things to save those of others.”  I do not know what things I shall let fall of my own; but this I know, that during my whole residence in Mourzuk my mind has been continually occupied in endeavouring to save Government money.  But I have received little assistance.

The weather still continues hot, with wind from the south:  however, I walked in the gardens.  On the 16th, the boat went off to the caravan; the camels carried it very easily, to the astonishment of the good people of Mourzuk.  On the 17th, the thermometer was at 102 deg. in the shade—­in the sun, about 130 deg..  We received letters in answer to those first written from Mourzuk, and learned that all the despatches written on the road for Tripoli had arrived in safety.  The Arabs, therefore, are not quite so bad as they are represented.