I begin to feel better in health. If we could but encamp for three or
four hours during the heat of the day, I have no doubt I should get on
well enough. There was talk of serpents to-day; I saw none on this
route, however. People at Mourzuk are occasionally bitten by lêfas and
scorpions, and death ensues often. Ammonia has been tried with success
as a cure.

_July 1st._--We were astir at the encampment a little after daybreak:
but it takes usually two hours to get off, although we have but seven
camels. I hope our people will be quicker after a little more practice.
The heat was very troublesome; and nothing could keep the Tuaricks from
going on all through the day, for ten hours and a quarter, without
stopping. Our course was along the broad wady, which resembles an
immense plain. On the surface of its sandy bed are scattered pebbles and
blocks of sandstone and limestone, but the former chiefly. There was
nothing to please the eye but the delicate tints of the line of
sand-hills on the left--a faint yellow, at times mingling with the sky
when very luminous; and the round tholukh-trees, scattered like black
spots on the light sand of the valley. A little mirage figured a dark,
black lake, which, however, sparkled with light under the trees. Few
animals were seen: a young camel, left to graze in the valley, followed
us most cheerfully this morning.

We passed two or three wells in the course of the day, at a place called
Kouwana, with water near the surface, and obtained some by scraping out
the sand; we did not, however, take any up, because it was not very
good. Caravans seldom use these wells. No doubt there is water to be
found everywhere throughout the wady, which by a little care might be
turned into an oasis. Perhaps it was one in old times. There is now no
encouragement to cultivate any stubborn ground.