Chap. XXXI. SERVANTS DISMISSED. 
337 
to mount him on horseback, but it was all in vain ; 
he was anxious to see his wife and children again, 
after which he promised to come back. I, therefore, 
like the generals of ancient Rome, gave him leave of 
absence — " pueris procreandis daret operam." 
On the other side, it was well worth a sacrifice to 
send a trustworthy man to Fezzan. The expedition 
had lost its director, who alone was authorized to 
act in the name of the Government which had sent 
us out ; we had no means whatever, but considerable 
debts, and without immediate aid by fresh supplies, 
the surviving members could do no better than to 
return home as soon as possible. Moreover, there 
were Mr. Richardson's private things to be forwarded, 
and particularly his journal, which, from the beginning 
of the journey down to the very last days of his life, 
he had kept with great care, — more fortunate he, and 
more provident in this respect than my other com- 
panion, who laughed at me when, during moments of 
leisure, I finished the notes which I had briefly 
written down during the inarch, and who contended 
that nothing could be done in this respect till after a 
happy return home. I therefore provided Mohammed, 
upon whose discretion and fidelity I could entirely 
rely, with a camel, and intrusted to him all Mr. 
Richardson's things and my parcel of letters, which 
he was to forward by the courier, who is generally 
sent on by the caravan after its arrival in the Tebu 
country. 
There were two respectable men with the caravan, 
VOL. II. z 
