very arid country, searching for one of those two blessings, which seem to be always separated in this part of the desert,—­water and herbage.  We had found the former at Aisou; the latter greeted us in plenty at a place called Takeesat, where we encamped, intending to pass the night and the whole of next day.  The herbage was of the kind called nasee, which is very strengthening for the camels.

I believed that the Haghar would not follow the Kailouees upon their own territory, but I was mistaken.  Just before sunset, to our surprise, we saw rising above the hills around the valley where we are encamped, three mounted men.  These mysterious Haghar are then determined, we thought, to pursue us Christians as their natural prey!  The men rode coolly up and mingled with us, probably understanding and enjoying the looks of suspicion and terror that greeted them.  No one thought proper, at first, to address them a single question; and they were allowed to picket their maharees without molestation.  It must be confessed that there was no little agitation in our camp, and everything was done to give any attacking force a warm reception.  We made barricades of the boat, and kept watch all night.  We also scoured the valley all round to see if there were any other people about.

I must insist, for the credit of our gallantry, that it was not of these three men that we were afraid.  Our caravan was composed of sixty individuals capable of bearing arms, besides women and children.  Our camels also amounted to one hundred and seven.  Had we not, therefore, been tormented for so many days by rumours of intended attacks, we should have laughed at these Haghars, however fierce might have been their looks, and however hostile their intentions.  But our guides, who knew the habits of the desert, did not think it beneath their dignity to be alarmed, nor to look anxiously about to the right and to the left, as if every stone concealed an enemy, every ravine an ambush.

By the way, it may be as well to mention here, that the reader may know how to call the enemies we feared, that although vulgarly the whole race that inhabits between the borders of Fezzan and Timbuctoo are called Haghar, the Tuaricks of Ghat are properly distinguished as Azgher; and those located towards Tuat and the Joliba, Haghar.  Had they and their party been of generally predatory dispositions, they would have had something to occupy them—­the caravan belonging to Haj Ibrahim coming from Soudan.  We should, perhaps, be uncharitable enough to hope that precious time might be occupied in plundering these good people, were we not certain that, if we are really to be attacked, it is because of the presence of Christians.  Will our guides peril life or limb to preserve from danger people whose tenets they abhor?