above which very high date-trees grew up, of which
the trunks were warped round even to the top. The palm trees, extended
upon a mass of stones, by their length and colour, gave proof of their
antiquity. Others, lying across here and there, and wholly stripped of
their bark, afforded a very dismal spectacle.

I split one of the palm-trees with my nails, and put a piece of it in my
mouth; it had a taste, at once bitter and salt, but no smell. Those
which were overturned, fell in pieces immediately upon my touching them;
and the filaments which remained under the bark, were covered over with
a saltish powder, as clear as crystal. The roots which hung far down
from the rocks were glutinous, and the bark broke off with the least
touch. I plucked up several branches of wild laurel, from which I
immediately distilled some white drops, one of which, having fallen upon
my hand, occasioned a very smart pain, and a black spot, which took off
the skin. I durst not venture to taste it. In a word, the stones, the
nitrous beds, the overturned date-trees and others, enveloped to the
very top the immense plain covered with an extremely fine salt, the
ground cut and furrowed, which appeared to have been turned up by the
torrents, those rent mountains, if I may use the expression, all seemed
to indicate, that at some former period, the scum of the sea had been
carried into these places. I asked at Sidy Sellem, if we were far from
the sea, and if ever it had passed that way? He told me, that we were
perhaps the first of the human race who had landed there; that he was
looking for the sea, which ought to be before us, in order to discover
the places where, he had been told, some Arab camps were to be found,
among whom he had friends who had accompanied him in a journey to Mecca.

"Keep yourself easy," added he, "the sun is my guide, he will conduct me
where I wish to go. You may therefore follow, without fear, the
footsteps of the camels." Indeed, I thought that I walked with
considerable ease; but it was not long, when I began to feel excessive
pain, as my feet, severely torn, were filled with a kind of saltish
dust. How greatly was I astonished, when, after two days' travelling, I
found we were on the brink of the sea, and perceived below me the
rolling waves foaming upon a frightful precipice! Towards the east,
where I then was, its course was limited by immense rocks. On
considering this elevation, I could not persuade myself, that ev