day's march we found, that what we had supposed to be the border of the
Mourzuk plateau was not in reality so. We soon reached the summit of the
cliffs, and having cast back a glance upon the valley, with its expanse
of corn-fields and thousands of palm-trees, expected to find an elevated
plateau beyond; but the hills gradually softened down into a plain on
their eastern side. Our route may be said to have led through a
wilderness, not a desert. On all sides were clusters of the tholukh,
which grows prettily up, and has a poetical appearance. The ground at
some places was strewed with branches, cut down for the goats to feed
on. Then we came to a small wady full of _resou_, which our marabout
calls the "meat of the camel;" and all the camels at once stopped, and
for a long time obstinately refused to proceed. This appeared strange to
us, but on inquiry we found that the sagacious brutes remembered
perfectly well that until the evening there would be no herbage so good,
and were determined to have their fill whilst there was an opportunity.
The drivers, after indulging them a few moments, took them in flank, and
their shouts of "_Isa! Isa!_" and some blows, at length got the caravan
out of this elysium of grass into the hungry plain beyond. As we
proceeded, a cold bracing wind began to blow from the east, and
considerably chilled our frames. I had met the same weather four years
previously. Towards evening, however, it became warmer, as it usually
does. The country was bare and level, like an expanse of dull-coloured
water; and the palm-trees that cluster near the village rose slowly
above the horizon as we drew nigh. The sun had gone down, and the plain
stretched dim and shadowy around before we came in sight of the group of
hovels which form the village. As I looked back, the scattered camels
slowly toiling along could be faintly traced against the horizon.

The Sheikh of Agar received us well this time, sending us two fowls and
supper for our people. This place consists of huts made of palm-branches