the despatches. They are sent to
Asoudee, where there is a caravan just arrived from Kanou. Among the
persons composing it are some Mourzuk people, who will take charge of
the despatches. This caravan stays a few days in Asoudee, when it will
leave direct for Mourzuk, and arrive at this latter city in the course
of two months and a-half.

I have just received an account of the route of the salt-caravans from
Tintalous to Bilma:--

From Tintalous to Asaughar Five days.
" Fakramah One day.
" K[=a]w[=a]r One day.
" Boulouma One day.

The mediate time occupied is said to be between eight and fourteen days.
The three stations mentioned between Tintalous and Bilma have wells of
water. There is also an abundance of herbage all along the route for
camels. The direction of the route is always east, over a flat country
(probably through wadys); although, my informant adds, there are no
mountains. The salt is found in small lakes. The people amass it with
the water, and make of it round cakes; the water runs away, and the
cakes become hard and dry. It is then packed up in camel-loads. A large
camel-load pays to the Tibboos half a metagal, or about ninepence
English money. It is thus evident that the Tibboos do derive a revenue
from their salt, contrary to what was stated by them to Major Denham.
Since his time, however, this people have found themselves in a better
condition to enforce this impost on the Kailouee salt-merchants than
they were formerly.

The caravan of Ghat Tuaricks brought here the news, a few days ago, that
no less than four hundred people, fractions of the tribes of the Azgher,
consisting of men, women, and children, followed us as far as Tajetterat
to see what they could get from the Christians. When they arrived at the
wells, to their great disappointment we were gone. Some of them were
nearly naked, having only a piece of leather round their loins. Our
sending for an escort from Mourzuk seems to have aroused the whole
country; all these poor wretches expected, at least, a little _hamsa_
from the Christians, who were reported to have a long train of camels
laden with gold and silver, and all sorts of rich goods. I do not doubt
the correctness of this news; it is so perfectly Targhee in its kind:
but the report of sixty maharees pursuing us from the Haghar desert was
always doubted by me.

There is now news of my stolen tea, and a