and then cooked and ate them, &c. Glorious
old fellow! Our Tanelkum Mousa, however, afterwards observed, that this
was _kitheb_, "a lie;" but that he knew a woman who could catch
gazelles. Many other things of equal interest his highness related, and
then left us in a good humour.

Two of our camels strayed this evening. En-Noor's people soon brought
them back. Our servants are very careless, and all our mishaps are a
profit to the Kailouees. We have still, however, two camels lost, and, I
imagine, shall not now recover them. But I was glad to hear the news
that the Sultan of Asoudee was successfully chastising all the people
who on the road attacked us. He had punished the people of Azaghar and
of Seloufeeat, even the son of Haj Bashaw; and the Haj himself, who was
said to be our friend, because he did not look after his son. The Sultan
acts quite according to my opinion, making all the principal people of
Seloufeeat and other places responsible for the conduct of the poorer
and lower classes. It is said that the Fadeea have fled; but others say
that they have been captured, and all our property which could be found
seized in the name of the Sultan of Asoudee. All the steps taken by this
Sultan have been directed, more or less, by En-Noor. He can muster, it
is said, two thousand warriors--for every able-bodied man fights in this
country. This expedition may be useful for future travellers from
Europe, but I fear we shall get back none of our property.

As a specimen of the political news strained through the brains of the
people of Tuat, I may mention that the Tuatee, recently arrived here,
reports that "the King of the Frenchmen has run away to England, and
carried with him all the money of the French," and, moreover, that "as
the French conquered Algiers by distributing large dollars to every one,
and hold it by the same means, the French now having no money, must soon
relinquish Algiers again to the hands of the Muslims."

_4th._--The weather is getting colder and colder. The last few days have
been quite chilly, with a strong wind blowing from the east. This
morning it was quite uncomfortable, the thermometer having fallen for
the first time to 60 deg. at sunset. We started early, and made seven hours
in a south-eastern direction. It was a nice ride; but as the day
advanced we got much sunburnt. After three hours we passed on the left
the little village Zouazgher. The caravan showed again very
picturesquely, the