HORNEMAN. 1 1 1 



caravan there were two Christians from Cairo ; on being 

 allowed to kill whom, they would permit the others to pro- 

 ceed unmolested. All Homeman's address and firmness 

 were required in this fearful crisis. He opposed the most 

 resolute denial to the assertions of the Siwahans ; he 

 opened the Koran, and displayed the facility with which he 

 could read its pages ; he even challenged his adversaries to 

 answer him on points of Mohammedan faith. His compa- 

 nions in the caravan, who took a pride in defending one of 

 their members, insisted that he had cleared himself tho- 

 roughly from the imputation of being an infidel ; and as 

 they were joined by several of the Siwahans, the whole 

 body finally renounced their bloody purpose, and returned 

 home. 



The travellers next passed through Augila, a town so 

 ancient as to be mentioned by Herodotus ; but now small, 

 dirty, and supported solely by the passage of the inland 

 trade. They then entered the Black Harutsch, a long 

 range of dreary mountains {Mons Ater of the ancients), 

 through the successive defiles of which they found only a 

 narrow tract enclosed by rugged steeps and obstructed by 

 loose stones* Every valley, too, and ra\ine into which 

 they looked appeared still more wild and desolate than 

 the road itself. A gayer scene succeeded when they en- 

 tered the district of limestone mountains called the White 

 Harutsch. The rocks and stones here appeared as if 

 glazed, and abounded in shells and other marine petrifac- 

 tions, which, on being broken, had a vitrified appearance. 



After a painful route of sixteen days through this solitary 

 region, the travellers were cheered by seeing before them 

 the Great Oasis, or small kingdom of Fezzan. Both at 

 Temissa, the first frontier town, and at Zuila, the ancient 

 capital, which is still inhabited by many rich merchants, 

 they were received with rapturous demonstrations of joy. 

 The arrival of a caravan is the chief event which diversifies 

 the existence of the Fezzaners, and diflfuses through the 

 country animation and wealth. At Mourzouk, the modem 

 capital, the reception was more solemn and pompous. The 

 sultan himself awaited their arrival on a small eminence, 

 seated in an arm-chair ornamented with cloth of various 

 colours, and forming a species of throne. Each pilgrim, 

 Qjx approaching the royal seat, took oS his sandals, kissed 



