for our tents. This being the first
act of spontaneous assistance which we had witnessed from Tripoli to
Damerghou, I gave them each a ring. We are now fairly in Damerghou; and
to-day we saw the first specimens of the culture in this part of Africa.
The ground is cleared by burning, as on the coast; which burning serves
partly to supply the place of manure. The people, apparently slaves,
were burning and raking up the ashes and stubble, with rakes made of
fallen branches of trees. We passed through wide tracts of ghaseb
stubble. Some of the stalks were seven or eight feet high, but the ears
were not larger than those seen at Ghadamez--about eight or nine inches.

Amongst the plants observed yesterday was the cactus, with a smooth
leaf. Water-melons were also found in the road, mostly quite good and
sweet, but some white ones perfectly tasteless. None, even those
cultivated, are equal to the melons of the coast; there are no mealy
ones here.

We were met by a party of Tuaricks, who came to salute En-Noor, mounted
on horseback. As we had had some very rough customers amongst the
Tagama, I took little notice of them, and continued eating my bread and
cheese. At this the people of the caravan laughed. They thought we ought
always to receive these strangers, Tuaricks, with fear and trembling. I
deemed the contrary plan more politic. However, had I known they were
official persons, and one son of a sheikh of a town, I should have given
them a more civil welcome.

_7th._--We came eight hours and a-half south, over an undulating
country, intersected with small wadys, and through ghaseb stubble. All
was wavy ground, and bare of trees. There is, however, a small hill, at
a distance of some ten miles from our encampment, called Boban Birni,
"Great City," of conical form. Numerous villages were scattered along
the whole line of route, a few of some size. The form of the huts is
like that of beehives. Around them are small magazines of ghaseb,
supported on wooden stakes, very like corn-stacks. The inhabitants of
these Damerghou villages are blacks, with features like the Bornouese.
In fact, they speak the Bornou languages, and are said to have been the
product of past razzias in that country by the Tuaricks.

Damerghou is the granary of Asben, and seems to be entirely in
possession of the Asbenouees, nearly all these villages being peopled by
the slaves of the Tuaricks. Some villages, indeed, contain nothing but
slaves.

Few a