Chap. LXXXV. DESERT OF TINTU'mMA. 
419 
at liberty to remain some time behind, indulging in 
the luxury of a cup of coffee. I remained however 
almost too long ; and if it had not been that, contrary 
to my orders, which were to the effect to spare the 
powder as much as possible, my servants kept firing 
their pistols off at random, in order to cheer them- 
selves and the poor slaves, I should have had some 
difficulty in following the caravan. Cheered by the 
firing, and perhaps impressed with the awful charac- 
ter of the country which we were traversing at such 
an hour, the slaves, forgetful of their over-fatigue, 
kept up an uninterrupted song, the sounds of which 
fell occasionally upon my ears, as I followed them at 
a great distance. But under the effects of this ex- 
citement, and in the cool of the evening, they marched 
at such a rate, that I did not overtake them till long 
after midnight, when freemen and slaves began to feel 
exhausted, and would gladly have lagged behind ; and 
I had to urge on several of these unfortunates, and 
prevent them from staying behind, and falling a sacri- 
fice to thirst and fatigue. One of my servants was not 
to be seen. In fact this desert is famous for people 
well accustomed to it losing their way, and the white 
sand, extending to a boundless distance, is so confound- 
ing, that people often miss their direction entirely. 
But the fatigue of this night's march was very great 
indeed, and when the day dawned, I gladly availed 
myself of the opportunity afforded by a little herbage 
of giving a slight feed to my exhausted horse to ob- 
tain a few minutes' repose. 
£ £ 2 
