404 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. LXXXIV. 
rival. This messenger brought nothing for me except 
a copy of a despatch of Lord Clarendon's, dated 10th 
June, 1853, and consequently more than twenty 
months old. The news of my death seemed to be 
fully accredited in Tripoli and Fezzan, my letter, for- 
warded from Kano, of course not having arrived in 
the latter place when this parcel left ; and the only 
thing which afforded me satisfaction in my unpleasant 
situation were a few Maltese portfolios, which gave 
me some information of what had been going on in 
Europe four months previously. 
All that now remained for me under the present 
circumstances was, to resign myself in patience, al- 
though the delay pressed upon me with indescribable 
heaviness, and I had scarcely energy enough to en- 
deavour to employ my time usefully. However, a 
rather pleasant intermezzo occurred, whereby at the 
same time one of the conditions was fulfilled upon 
which my own departure was dependent, by the 
arrival of the Arab caravan from the north ; and on 
the 23rd of March, I went to see them encamped in 
Dawerghii, the path being enlivened by all sorts of 
people going out to meet their friends, and to hear 
what news had been brought by the new comers. The 
caravan consisted of rather more than a hundred 
Arabs, but not more than sixty camels, the chief of the 
caravan being Hdj Jdber, an old experienced Fezzani 
merchant. There was, besides, an important per- 
sonage of considerable intelligence, notwithstanding 
his youth, viz. Abba A'hmed ben Hamma el Kanemi. 
