WELLS OF TRASAS. 
1^9 
couraged by the great difficulty of finding fodder for their 
beasts, and grain for themselves, and also by the annoyance 
of being always forced to drink salt water. 
As the Trajacants had taken the trouble to clear the 
wells, we had nothing to do but to profit by their labour 5 
and to reward them, Sidi-Aly and Sidi-Molut joined to give 
them a good supper. 
As our tent was not pitched, 1 took shelter under that 
of the Trajacants. I found them drinking dokhnou, and 
talking over the adventures of their journey ; the moment 
they saw me, they perceived that 1 was not an African; their 
first look announced their ill-will^ and one of them asked me 
who I was. A Moor of our caravan who happened to be with 
me, spared me the trouble of answering ; he took the af- 
fair into his own hands, and related, without any omission, 
the fiction which I had industriously circulated, and which 
was now received as truth amongst all those who knew me. 
They afterwards criticised my countenance, which did not 
seem to them to possess the genuine Arab character, though 
1 was by this time exceedingly dark ; but my complaint had 
entirely disfigured me. The Trajacants asked me many 
questions about the Christians, and made me repeat a verse 
of the Koran which 1 had learnt by heart ; they afterwards 
drank by turns, and then poured salt water upon what was 
left in the vessel, and asked me to drink. 
On the 2d in the morning, Aly sent two of his Moors to 
look out for fodder 3 they went a great distance, and returned 
in the evening with two little bundles of straw, which were 
given to the animals, and immediately devoured. Sidi-Aly 
asked me to go to seek food for my camel; I replied that he 
might go himself, and I went to the tent of two Wadnoun 
marabouts. These men were very kind, and censured Sidi- 
Aly 's conduct towards me without reserve. All this day was 
employed in watering the beasts, and in laying in a stock of 
water for ourselves. The salt water penetrated our skins and 
VOL. II. K 
