7th--We made another long and weary day of twelve hours. The fatigue is
killing. Our course was south-west, through heaps and groups of rocks
and narrow shallow wadys. In some directions, ridges of small rocks; in
others, isolated masses of conic form. The bed of the desert is mostly
granite, and some of the rocks are of the same substance. Indeed, the
Central Sahara seems to bristle with ridges of granite. Then there are
many varieties of this stone, and others springing out of granite, as
quartz rocks and felspar, and some sandstone mixed with quartz. Across
our path we observed many traces of wild oxen, and a few were seen with
their immense horns. Birds and reptiles were rare, and the lizard not so
frequent as before. Our camels found scarcely a mouthful of hasheesh; no
trees were visible, except a few miserable tholukhs.

The Kailouees have changed in a marked manner since Wataitee has
rejoined us, and are much more civil. But I do not talk to them,
contenting myself with a civil "Good day. How do you do?" This prevents
them from begging of me. They beg of Barth and Overweg, who do not
notice them. As I am "the person who gives," I am obliged to be very
polite, but distant.

_8th._--We started at sunrise, and made a short day of seven hours and
a-half, resting at last in a wady surrounded with rocks, where there was
some good herbage.

In the course of this march we met another portion of the large Soudan
caravan, and consigned to it our letters. They brought the news that the
Tanelkums were a day only in advance, having halted to take up water at
Aroukeen, where they dug again the old well which had been blocked with
stones.