The Tanelkums all give the son of Shafou a good character. We parted
with them this morning. They take some loads of dates for us, and have
gone to Aroukeen, where they will wait for us six days, and then leave
us; that is, if we do not come up. They will be twelve days, they say,
on their journey. We go by a different route to Ghât, and shall see but
not enter Serdalous. This place is now thickly inhabited by Tuaricks,
and Hateetah does not wish to come in contact with them, for fear of
exciting their curiosity and cupidity. So he is a knowing old dog after
all. Our Tuaricks are displeased that the Germans have encamped so far
from us this evening. The ground is a narrow slip of wady stretching
east and west, almost on a level with the plateau. There is a little
hasheesh (grass), with two or three young tholukh-trees. Venus shone
with uncommon splendour this evening, eclipsing all the majesty of
Jupiter. We are looking out for the Southern Cross, and think we see it
just emerging above the horizon ahead. In the day, the heavens have of
late been hazy.

They tell us, that on leaving Ghât we shall _descend_ to Soudan; yet we
can not have reached very high ground. We may soon likewise expect to
feel the influence of the Soudan rains, and find the atmosphere much
cooler in consequence. How the days are shortening now, and how grateful
darkness gradually expands its dominions over this arid, scorching
waste, as we move south!

On Friday the 5th we only advanced two hours, to a place called
Talazaghee,--a small picturesque wady, where, during the season of rain,
there are always two or three pools of good water; there is also now a
little herbage for the camels. During our ride we met a small slave
caravan, and learned the important intelligence that there are several
people of the Sultan En-Noor of Aheer at present at Ghât with slaves.