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Tripoli is distant from The Wady, fifteen, seventeen, or twenty days, according to the progress of the caravan. The route from El-Wady to Shaty consists of groups of sand-hills, of painful traverse. Shaty itself is a series of oases. Between El-Hasee and El-Ghareeah, which now follow, there is an immeasurable expanse of Desert plain.
Like the commandant of Shaty, this Ahmed Tylmoud insisted on "playing at powder" with his men for our edification; but was also obliged to beg his ammunition.
The sandy valleys and limestone rocks between El-Hasee and Es-Shaty, where herbage and trees are found, affording food to numerous gazelles, hares, and the wadan. 6th. The sand between Shaty and El-Wady, piled in masses, or heaps, extending in undulating plains, and occasionally opening in small valleys with herbage and trees. 7th.
On returning to the encampment, I found that the Kaïd, or commander of the troops of the Shaty district, had arrived with some Arab cavaliers: he has in all thirty horsemen. Our visitors offered to "play powder" in order to do us honour; but were compelled to beg us to supply the ammunition. It was a very animating scene, after the dreary journey over the Fezzanee deserts.
The Touaricks are leaving Ghat to reinforce the new levies of troops. Soon the town will be emptied of Touaricks. The Ghadamsee ghafalah is returning, and a small one to Tripoli viâ Shaty and Misdah. Haj Ibrahim continues to repeat his story about the people of Ghadames having a great deal of money hoarded up.
Shaty has eighteen districts, some very limited, but having date-palms, and paying contributions to Mourzuk. Edree, itself, is drained of four hundred mahboubs per annum. 27th. I rose at sunrise and went to see the ancient dwellings of Edree, where the people lived underground: they are excavations out of the rock, some fifty yards from the surface beneath the modern town.
He came viâ Mizdah and Shaty, and was forty-five days en route. The affair of the Timbuctoo caravan is differently reported. It is now said the people killed were the inhabitants of Ain Salah. The Desert is a great exaggerator and misinterpreter. It is very difficult to get correct news. 24th. Better in health this morning, after taking medicine yesterday.
We could, therefore, go on until morning without fear of losing any of our party in the night. The position of a person who falls behind a caravan in the desert very much resembles that of a man overboard. This khafilah preceded us to Shaty.
We had to cut through the mountains which had been so long on our right. The range still continued north up The Wady, but how far I cannot tell. I believe no European whatever has travelled the route viâ Shaty and Mizdah, to Tripoli.
My Affray with the Egyptian. Route to Tripoli, viâ Shaty and Mizdah. Features and Colour of Fezzaneers. My Journey from The Wady to Mourzuk, on leaving the Slave-Caravans. Tombs of former Inhabitants, and Legends about them. Bleak and Black Plateau. The Targhee Scout. Have a Bilious Attack. Desert Arcadians, and lone Shepherdesses. Oasis of Agath, and its want of Hospitality. 12th.
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