ght I had told you that I read Tifinar
writing very badly. Are these writings more interesting than the
others we have come upon before?"

"Look at this one," said Morhange. There was such an accent of triumph
in his tone that this time I concentrated my attention.

I looked again.

The characters of the inscription were arranged in the form of a
cross. It plays such an important part in this adventure that I cannot
forego retracing it for you.

|
|
+
o o o o -- W + -- -
|
|
|

[Transcriber's Note: This is but a crude ASCII representation of the
inscription. The center 'W' is rotated 90 degrees counter-clockwise in
the book.]

It was designed with great regularity, and the characters were cut
deep into the rock. Although I knew so little of rock inscriptions at
that time I had no difficulty in recognizing the antiquity of this
one.

Morhange became more and more radiant as he regarded it.

I looked at him questioningly.

"Well, what have you to say now?" he asked.

"What do you want me to say? I tell you that I can barely read
Tifinar."

"Shall I help you?" he suggested.

This course in Berber writing, after the emotions through which we had
just passed, seemed to me a little inopportune. But Morhange was so
visibly delighted that I could not dash his joy.

"Very well then," began my companion, as much at his, ease as if he had
been before a blackboard, "what will strike you first about this
inscription is its repetition in the form of a cross. That is to say
that it contains the same word twice, top to bottom, and right to left.
The word which it composes has seven letters so the fourth letter, W
[Transcriber's Note: Rotated 90 deg. counter-clockwise], comes naturally
in the middle. This arrangement which is unique in Tifinar writing, is
already remarkable enough. But there is better still. Now we will read
it."

Getting it wrong three times out of seven I finally succeeded, with
Morhange's help, in spelling the word.

"Have you got it?" asked Morhange when I had finished my task.

"Less than ever," I answered, a little put out;
"a,n,t,i,n,h,a,--Antinha, I don't know that word, or anything like it,
in all the Saharan dialects I am familiar with."

Morhange rubbed his hands together. His satisfaction was without
bounds.

"You have said it. That is why the discovery is unique."

"Why?"

"There i