persons and about thirty camels; so that, altogether, we shall form a
very respectable caravan.

We rose early on the 27th, and starting at half-past six, continued
moving until noon, when we encamped in a valley a little before the
water of Akourou, where there is herbage for the camels in a hollow
amidst rocky sandstone hills. The scenery of this part of the desert
continues to be very varied. The range of lofty marl hills, over which
the sun rises for Ghât, is still seen stretching northwards and
southwards. Animals feed about here and there; some quails whirr along
the ground; black vultures, white eagles, and numerous crows, perch upon
the rocks, or speckle the sky overhead. I went to visit the "Water," as
they call a small lake that nestles amidst the rocks. It is of some
depth, and filled, they say, merely by rain-water, very palatable to
drink. Even when no showers occur for several years it does not become
quite empty; and as there is no apparent reason for this, I am led to
suppose it may be partly fed by some spring in the rocks that form its
bed. This lake imparts an unusually cheerful aspect to the valley in
which it lies. It is resorted to by the dwellers of the neighbouring
district, who come to water their flocks, and feed them on the herbage
that springs round the margin. These pools or collections of water are
called ghadeer, which I at first mistook for the name of a particular
locality. According to Yusuf, this place gives an exact idea of the
Tibboo country, where, he says, there are no wells, but vast clefts in
the rock, down which pours the water when it rains, to collect in the
hollows at the bottom. Our people speak with great respect of this
ghadeer. Everything connected with water is sacred in the desert. They
say that for several weeks after a rain-storm there are regular cascades
over the rocks.