That all the people are soua soua—­“higgledy-piggledy” is our only equivalent phrase—­is bad news for a Saharan traveller; for it signifies nothing less than that there is no paramount authority in a country, and that the traveller is exposed to the insolence of every evil-disposed person.  Such is represented to be the condition of Tidek, the first province of Aheer upon which we shall enter.

The scarcity of food in Aheer—­one of the causes of the disturbances that are taking place—­arises, we are told, from the quantity of provisions carried away from the country when the Kailouees made their expedition against the Walad Suleiman.  But this expedition is now finished, and there has been time for a revival of prosperity.  Sickness and disease are reported in Aheer at the present time.  These are unpleasant tidings for a traveller who is braving the fatigues and perils of the Great Sahara, in hopes of some little repose at his journey’s end.

To express great numbers, the Arabs and Tuaricks always use the similitudes, “like the dust,” or “like flies.”  When the Tuaricks say we are to give nothing to anybody—­speaking, of course, of other people, as Hateetah to me—­they take up a little sand between the ends of their fingers and scatter it on the palms of their hands.  When they wish to describe roads free from hills and ravines they extend the palm of their hands, adding, “Like this.”  I cannot say that I admire the Kailouees in any respect.  Barth’s comparison to snakes is tolerably correct.  They have duped us in various ways, and our only consolation is being able to report their conduct to their friends in Ghat and Zinder.

These observations occur to me during our prolonged halt at the well of Falezlez.  The whole caravan needs this refreshment, both on account of the fatigues it has already encountered, as of those to which it may look forward on the tract of desert which now stretches wild and inhospitable before us.  Yesterday the sky was completely overcast; but during the night and this morning the clouds have been succeeded by wind, and strong blasts have completely cooled us.  I do not think that the climate would affect me so much as it does if I had something good to eat; but the Tanelkums have got with them all my soups.  The Germans eat hausa like Tuaricks, and do very well.  I expected to find the water of Falezlez most unpalatable.  This, indeed, is its reputation; but we were all agreeably deceived, and the salt taste was scarcely perceptible.

About ten in the morning, on the 5th, a solitary white camel, with a rider, was reported as trotting rapidly over the hills to the east.  The circumstance created some excitement.  It was Mohammed Wataitee, son of Shafou, coming riding like the monarch of the desert, as he is, upon his fine maharee.  He had been travelling three days and three nights consecutively; and however eager we were to hear his opinion of the dangers that threatened us, it was necessary to allow him to spend the whole day in repose.