d accommodation for European travellers. A large fair
is held here every Wednesday, chiefly for the sale of native horses.
We had a long and interesting talk with the officers, and then retired
to bed, but not to sleep, for our baggage had not arrived, and the
bitter cold kept us in a state of enforced watchfulness.

Before breakfast, next day, I walked out on a tour of inspection
through the neighbourhood. The caravanserai is situated almost in the
desert; and very cold and barren are its surroundings. During
breakfast, we were rejoiced by the arrival of our baggage, and at once
started for Ouad-el-Massin. There is a very grand sensation of
solitude and silence in riding through these vast plains. The weather
was still tremendously cold and rainy. I managed to shoot two
partridges as we came along.

A chapter of accidents now began. My Maltese servant had been mistaken
concerning the capacity of our mules; for they broke down, and we were
obliged to leave them behind. Then my horse, an exceedingly vicious
brute, nearly succeeded in appropriating a piece of Angelo's shoulder,
as the latter stooped to tighten the girths. I found afterwards that
my steed had a very bad character all over the country; his ill fame,
however, was slightly redeemed by the fact that he was a good goer.
Then we missed our way among the mountains, and with difficulty
succeeded, just as it was getting dark, in reaching a small house at
Guebla, kept by a Frenchman. The proprietor received us very
hospitably, and gave us all the accommodation he could: it was of
rather a limited character, inasmuch as we all slept together in the
small room where we dined and breakfasted. Our host informed us that
there were a great number of lions in the neighbourhood. He had
himself been surprised by one, just after dusk, on the road from
Milianca, and offered to induce the Caid of the adjoining tribe to get
up a battue on our return. He also spoke of the great number of wild
boars in a way that would make a hunter's heart leap within him. We
retired to rest, and, sheltered for the nonce from the searching cold,
I slept as only a weary traveller can.

CHAPTER V.

FURTHER EXPERIENCES.

Abd-el-Kader (but not the Emir).--Difficult Road.--Perils of the
Way.--Prospect of Sport.--The First Boar.--The Chasseurs
d'Afrique.--Mine Hostess of the "Scorpion."--Teniet.

In the hope of obtaining some reliable information as to hunting
prospects, I had in