PETRIFIED WOOD IN THE DESERT. 255 



Mourzouk, which our travellers left on the 29th of Novem- 

 ber, 1822, to Traghan, the former capital of Fezzan, pre- 

 sented frequent incrustations of salt. From Traghan to 

 Maefen, the road lies over a mixture of clay and salt. The 

 path, by which all the animals move for several miles, is a 

 narrow space or stripe worn smooth, bearing a resemblance, 

 both in hardness and appearance, to ice. Near Maefen, 

 it assumes a new and more beautiful shape, being traversed 

 by numerous fissures, from the sides of which, and from the 

 roofs of cavities several feet deep, beautiful crystals of salt 

 were observed shooting. The road extends more than 

 twenty miles east and west. The water of Maefen, al- 

 though impregnated with soda, is not disagreeable to the 

 taste, or unwholesome. The continuation of the journey 

 from Maefen to Gatrone, which occupied two days, was 

 across the sand of the desert, which, it is said, was beauti- 

 fully fine, round, and red.* This place is surrounded by 

 sand hills and mounds of earth, covered with a tree called 

 athali. Though encamped on the south side of the town, 

 they had cold north and north-west winds ; and the temper- 

 ature in the tent was from 43° to 45° in the mornings. On 

 the 9th December reached Tegerhy.f This place they 

 found pleasantly situated. On the 13th left Tegerhy, and 

 proceeded on the Desert : it was scattered with mounds 

 of earth and sand, covered with various shrubs, which 

 were greedily devoured by the camels. On the 16th reached 

 Ghad. On the 17th continued their journey ovei- a stony 

 plain, without the least appearance of vegetation. The 

 exposed rocks were sandstones of different kinds, red and 

 black ; fine specimens of petrified wood were found, in 

 which were observed, in the centre, sap- vessels, and knots 

 filled with calcareous matter, the woody fibre charged 

 with a siliceous substance ; beautiful rays were observed 

 shooting from the centre to the circumference. The 

 depth of a well they met with, named Meshroo, was from 

 15 to 20 feet ; the water good, and therefore free from 

 saline impregnations: the ground around it was strewed 

 with human skeletons of the slaves who had arrived, ex- 

 hausted with thirst and fatigue. " The horrid consequences 

 of the slave-trade," says Dr. Oudney, "were strongly 



* Captain Lyon mentions gypsum and selenite as occurring in tliis 

 qaarter. 

 t This is the soutliernmoat town in Fezzan, 



