136 
WELLS OF MARABOUTY. 
hills stretching from north to south 5 they appeared black, 
which made me presume that they were granite. 
About ten in the morning, we rested at the foot of a 
chain of hills of loose sand, which ran in a parallel direction 
with the granite hills. 
At two in the morning of the 17th, we broke up our 
camp, and proceeded northwards ; having on either side of 
the road hills of very fine sand. The poor camels cropped as 
they went along the heads of some prickly plants, the only 
species of vegetable which they could find. About ten we halted 
at the wells called Marabouty, situated a quarter of a mile 
east of our route, amongst high hills of moving sand : these 
wells, which are no deeper than the last, were also filled up, 
but we soon opened them. 
I eagerly pressed forward to ask for drink, for I had 
not been able to obtain any on the road : my thirst was in- 
tense, and augmented by a violent westerly wind, which 
drifted the sand and rendered the journey most fatiguing. The 
neighbourhood of the wells is covered with the excrements of 
camels, to such a degree, that if the Moors were not well ac- 
quainted with their situation, these traces would suffice to 
point them out : the water is very good. 
Another camel at the point of death was killed here and 
some of its flesh boiled for eating. Sidi-Aly had some pieces 
dried, and sprinkled with salt, to preserve them as a luxury 
for himself during the remainder of the journey. 
On the 18th, at seven in the morning, we proceeded N. 
N. E. at first amongst the sand-hills afterwards, over a plain 
of black gravel. About ten we halted to feed the camels, 
and a meal was prepared with part of the animal killed the 
day before. This mess did not provoke the appetite, but ne- 
cessity taught us to eat it. One particular that I think worthy 
of remark is that my health continued perfectly good in the 
desert, notwithstanding the privations of every kind which I 
experienced. I had no fear of perishing but by thirst ; and 
