Next day we advanced in six hours to a wady similar to that we had left; curiously shaped sandstone rocks showed themselves on all sides:  no fossils were discovered.  Asses in droves were seen feeding about.  The Tuaricks possess a good number of these useful animals, brought from Soudan, of a finer breed than those at Mourzuk.  All the domestic animals of the country are from the same place—­the horses, bullocks used to draw the water from the wells, as well as the sheep and asses.  Ghat, indeed, is within the circle of Soudan influence; the people dress in Soudan clothes; eat off Soudan utensils; and mingle a great deal of the Soudan language with their Tuarick dialect.  We feel, therefore, as if we were now going towards a centre instead of from a centre.  Mourzuk, on the contrary, holds itself in connexion with the Arabs of the coast; and seems to receive no influence from the interior except by means of the Tibboos, who form a kind of connecting link.  There is a considerable sprinkling of this curious people in the lower portions of the population of Mourzuk, and there are always some genuine specimens to be met with in the streets.  It may be said, however, that both the capital of Fezzan and Ghat itself seem rendezvous from all parts of Africa; and I imagine, that in all the souk (market) cities of the interior the same fact will be observed.  However, it will remain true, no doubt, that south of Ghat the influence of Soudan will be far more sensibly marked than on the other side.

The son of Shafou, Mahommed Wataitee, who seems to have made up his mind to shirk the journey to Aheer, left us this morning to go to Aroukeen and meet his father, who is encamped with his flocks and dependants around that well.  No doubt it is fashionable in Ghat land to be “out of town” at this season of the year.  Our Kailouees have determined to take another and more direct road, avoiding Aroukeen and the Azgher Tuaricks in its neighbourhood.  Waled Shafou says, he shall fall in with us somewhere about Falezlez; but this seems somewhat doubtful.  When people separate in the desert they must not calculate on meeting again in a hurry.  We parted about three hours from the water of Akourou, the road to Aroukeen branching off there.  He took the easterly route and we the westerly, and we were soon out of sight.  Our way still lay through desert-hills, but with vegetation frequently.  There was talk of the small oasis of Janet to our left; and we indulged in some pastoral reflections on the life of contemplative ease and primitive simplicity which would be indulged in in such an out-of-the way place.

We seem to have got into some scrape with the Kailouees.  Besides the hundred dollars which Haj Ibrahim paid them to conduct us from Aheer to Zinder, it appears he promised them some burnouses, when we have none for them.  They mentioned the subject to-day, very naturally.  We must do as well as we can.  They seem civil enough; but an incident has just occurred which has much displeased me.