Next day we advanced in six hours to a wady similar to that we had left;
curiously shaped sandstone rocks showed themselves on all sides: no
fossils were discovered. Asses in droves were seen feeding about. The
Tuaricks possess a good number of these useful animals, brought from
Soudan, of a finer breed than those at Mourzuk. All the domestic animals
of the country are from the same place--the horses, bullocks used to
draw the water from the wells, as well as the sheep and asses. Ghât,
indeed, is within the circle of Soudan influence; the people dress in
Soudan clothes; eat off Soudan utensils; and mingle a great deal of the
Soudan language with their Tuarick dialect. We feel, therefore, as if we
were now going towards a centre instead of from a centre. Mourzuk, on
the contrary, holds itself in connexion with the Arabs of the coast; and
seems to receive no influence from the interior except by means of the
Tibboos, who form a kind of connecting link. There is a considerable
sprinkling of this curious people in the lower portions of the
population of Mourzuk, and there are always some genuine specimens to be
met with in the streets. It may be said, however, that both the capital
of Fezzan and Ghât itself seem rendezvous from all parts of Africa; and
I imagine, that in all the souk (market) cities of the interior the same
fact will be observed. However, it will remain true, no doubt, that
south of Ghât the influence of Soudan will be far more sensibly marked
than on the other side.

The son of Shafou, Mahommed Wataitee, who seems to have made up his mind
to shirk the journey to Aheer, left us this morning to go to Aroukeen
and meet his father, who is encamped with his flocks and dependants
around that well. No doubt it is fashionable in Ghât land to be "out of
town" at this season of the year. Our Kailouees have determined to take
another and more direct road, avoiding Aroukeen and the Azgher Tuaricks
in its neighbourhood. Waled Shafou says, he shall fall in with us