i^o TRAVELS I 
tumal treachery. I had, therefore, no need fo 
recommend to them to be vigilant. Not one 
indulged himfelf in fleep ; on the contrary, 
they all fpent the night in calling their eyes 
every where around, palpitating if they heard 
the fmalleft noife, and watching with alarm the 
leaft movement of the Houzouanas, who, during 
the whole time, were repofing in tranquillity. 
When day appeared, fo that I could diftin- 
guifli objects around me, I obferved, with 
confiderable pain, that the earth was abfo- 
lutely parched up, that it did not prefent a 
fmgle blade of grafs, and that my cattle muft 
confequently have remained the whole night 
without food. 
I communicated my uneafmefs to the Hoii- 
!:zouanas, and alked them how many days it 
would require to go in a ftraight direction to 
the fea, and whether we fhould meet with 
pafturage and water on our route. Their 
anfwer threw me into confternation. They 
informed me, that if the drought had been 
general, as they were aiTured, we muft exped:,^ 
by advancing in that quarter, to find, where- 
ever w^e paffed, a foil equally naked, and in 
all probability deftitute of water. 
After 
