( 12 ) 



vegetation, wifliont life, of a bareness surpassing everyfliiiig we liail seen. Caiuel- 

 skeletons began to be frequent, and we counted '.i-l iu three hours. 



A hundred kilometres south of El-Golea, near a small gorge, we came upon tlircc 

 stoue-heaps, the graves of Lieutenant V. M. A. Collot and two native soldiers, who 

 were here shot by some (Jhnamba, lying in ambush in the little gorge, on 

 October 31, 1896, A stone ])late states in simple words the tragedy (PI. IV.). 

 These silent graves in the vast and lifeless desert make a great impression on the 

 traveller who passes them. Towards eleven o'clock (April ■i). wo descended iutn the 

 wide bed of tlie Oneil Saret. Here we found a very rich vegetation, and I preserved 

 as many species of plants as I could find. Besides a kind of grass {I'l-iinixeliiin 

 ciliare), the strong-smelling Decerra scoparia was the most aamerons flowering 

 plant, and a few kilometres farther upwards huge bushes of Zizijphus were found. 

 We camped near a well without water. Cnhinilri'Ua hr(ii;liif<lacti/la was about in 

 flocks, ( k'liaiithe {Saxicohi) hi.ijjanica was noticed, a female Cirriin macrouras shot, 

 Falco hiannicus erlaniieri observed, and iiere was obtained for the first time 

 Ammomancs deserti m>ja, the new lark so common in the region of the Southern 

 Oued Mya. Swallows were seen flitting to and fro. Unlbrtnnately a heavy wind 

 troubled us all day long, frustrating :iuy close observations, giving much trouble 

 in mounting the tent, and disturbing our rest during the night. On the next 

 nioruiug we marched for some distance along the bed of the Oued Saret, seeing 

 many spoor of (ianelles, observing Hijli'ia ainlillanx, Clicliilon rmlira, Ot'ivinthf 

 oenaiitlif, Mohd'iUn Jlncd fl'ini and Monticola m.rntili.t .taratilig. Then followe<l 

 again a bare hammada, with black stones, as if burned by the heat of the sun, and 

 mostly not tiie least vegetation, sometimes not one green leaf or a blade of grass 

 for hours, but plenty of camel-skeletons. According to our Arabs, most of these 

 skeletons are from the military e.xpedition of I'.mik to In-Salah, when nearly a 

 thousand {'i) camels are said to iiave been lost; but at all times camels occasionally 

 break down and die on the roadside, where food and water are scarce. Traces were 

 seen of gazelles and of a jackal or fox ; a snake was caught and a solitary Yellow 

 AVagtail observed. Here, where stones are freiiuent, the road is marked with stone- 

 heaps and erect flat stones, bearing the muubers of the kilunietres, so that nobody 

 can lose the way. .\t midday we reached " Fort Miribel," or as the natives say 

 " Hassi Ghebaba" or " Chebbebba," situated on the height above the river-bed 

 of the " Oued Chebaba," amidst the most dreary and lifeless country one can 

 imagine, though the river-bed has a certain amount of vegetation. 



Fort Miribel is a fortress with many rooms rouud a big courtyard, and rather 

 well built of mud-bricks ; in the oued below are the ruins of the buildings, 

 where the Spahis (native cavalry) were ijuartered, round the old well, and near 

 several new ones, some of which are now dry and gradually tilling up with sau<l. 

 For some years a fairly strong garrison was stationed at Fcu-t Miribel, but now it 

 has been abandoned as useless, because of the southern garrisons at In-Salah, 

 Touat, aud iu the Hoggar mountains, and the peaceful state of the country. An 

 irresponsible Arab is supposed to watch tiie place, iiut the sand is encroaching on 

 the fort, piling up hills along the surrounding walls, filling the rooms through the 

 broken windows or the doors carelessly left open, the courtyard and the cellars; 

 locks are being taken away by anyone who fancies them, walls are beginning to 

 tumble down, and in a few years the place will be in rnius, a haunt of tiie Black 

 (Jhats aud Ammomanex deserti mya. 



We ascended the hill and occupied two of the best rooms, where we prejjared 



