the morning, a scorpion sallied
furiously forth. We had been sleeping with him under our pillows. We
moved on, still in the Wady, for a couple of hours, until we came to the
house of the Kaid, and once more encamped. His habitation is large,
commodious, and well protected from the sun. He showed us his
sleeping-apartment, which is airy and well protected from the sun. A
number of little wicker baskets, the handiwork of his wife, served as so
many clothes-presses. The baskets of Fezzan are perfectly water-tight.

This Kaid, called Ahmed Tylmoud, is quite a character, and looks very
droll with his single eye. He has twenty soldiers only under his command
throughout the valley. The Turks do not waste their men, making up by
severity for want of numbers. 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. It is singular,
that although these people are only armed with matchlocks, and are
supposed to be ready for service, either to defend the country or levy
contributions, they seem entirely destitute of all necessary provisions
for that purpose.

We were pestered with two very modest requests, which were not in our
power to grant. In the first place, the native inhabitants sent a
deputation to ask us to use our influence with the Governor of Mourzuk
to procure a reduction of their taxes; and then the Arab troops desired
that we should procure for them their discharge. Our refusal even to
take the charge of these verbal petitions seemed very harsh. An
impression had evidently got abroad that we came to bring about a
general redress of grievances; or, at any rate, that our influence was
far greater than we chose to avow.

I gave to the Kaid a handkerchief, as well as some snuff and tobacco. In
return, he sent a little bread and a fly-flapper; so that we parted good
friends. During our stay, we heard this jolly fellow entertaining the
chaouches and his own horsemen with a description of the ladies of the
Wady, who had no reason to be flattered by his account. And yet he seems
to have married one himself: _hinc illae lachrymae_, perhaps. My chaouch
had already given me a confirmation of these libels, and was evidently
greatly delighted by this testimony to his exactitude.

There are several roads from the Wady to Mourzuk, all much about the
same distance. It is said, also, that Ghat is only ten days from
Laghareefah. W