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The garrison of Yefran contains some two or three hundred Turkish soldiers, as also that of Gharian, besides Arab troops. The Arabs of these districts are entirely subdued, their native courage apparently dried up and extinct. This has been done chiefly by forced emigration or extermination.
We passed many villages depopulated, their humble dwellings razed to the ground the work of the ferocious Ahmed Bashaw, who came in person to these mountains. A great deal of fighting had taken place near the Castle, and there were the ruins of a very large village on one of the neighbouring peaks. Yefran is a very strong position, and was hotly contested by both parties.
From Tripoli to Janzour 3 hours. " Janzour to Zouweeah 9 " " Zouweeah to Beer-el-Hamra 2 " " Beer-el-Hamra to Shouwabeeah 5 " " Shouwabeeah to Wady Lethel 14 " " Wady Lethel to Aâyat 3 " " Aâyat to Yefran 3 " " Yefran to Rujban 18 " " Rujban to Seenawan 4 days. The quickest time, in more general terms, in which the journey can be performed, excluding of course all stoppages, is:
The Atlas and its Tripoline divisions and subdivisions. The ascent of Yefran, and its Castle. NOTHING is more common than that, after long delay and various negotiations, in waiting and preparing for a journey, everything at last is hurried with a most reckless dispatch; this, at least, was the case with me.
Found all the principal Ghadamsee merchants at the Castle, closeted in a small apartment with the Commandant, Ahmed Effendi, talking over the affairs of the ghafalah. At first I imagined this officer had brought them up from Yefran to make them pay black-mail in various presents. But it was only his vanity which dragged up the poor camels this fatiguing route, an ascent of four hours.
Asked Mohammed for the quarter of sheep purchased at Yefran, and taxed him with stealing it: told him I would give him no backsheesh on arriving at Ghadames. He had stolen the meat to make a feast for his friends on his arrival, and afterwards brought me a piece of my own meat cooked as his own, but which I refused. This is a fine illustration of being generous at another person's expense.
Behind these and other forts of nature they maintain for days an obstinate resistance, and pour deadly mitraille. The Turkish soldiers were here lounging about; they gaped and stared at me. I am, perhaps, the first European who has been to Yefran in the memory of the present generation, nay, the first European Christian who has visited this spot.
But some of them had been obliged to go a day's journey to purchase a few things. The ghafalah had, in fact, been scattered all over The Mountains. A few never left Yefran. This was my first taste of delay in Saharan travel. We began our four days' journey in the evening, and continued all night up to two hours before sunrise. The camels then rested but were not unpacked.
Bought some meat cheap at Yefran, but my camel-driver afterwards stole the greater part. The secretary of the Rais, Bou Asher, who knew the Vice-consul of Fezzan, showed me some kindness, and sent me again milk, which he said was the right of "The Consul." I had also received a nice delicious little present of a melon from the Sheikh Makouran en route.
They imagined that the plains of the Metidjah and the adjacent Atlas chain had lain desolate since the Creation, or were only wandered over by savage hordes of barbarians. We found the ascent of Yefran difficult. The Arabs call all places difficult of traverse, Wâr وعر whether applied to stony rocky ground, sandy regions, or mountains.
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