166 
M 1 M C I N A. 
cipally consists. Their breakfast is composed of bread with 
a little gruel made of barley-meal; and they sup upon 
couscous. About seven o'clock a plentiful couscous with 
mutton was sent to Sidi-Aly, who, after having made his own 
supper with two or three persons whom he looked upon as 
his equals, shared the remainder between me and six camel- 
drivers, who were not admitted to his table : the poor slaves 
also, to my great satisfaction, were not forgotten. We after- 
wards lay down under the palm-trees, the broad leaves of 
which formed a canopy over our heads, and I, contrary to 
my usual habit, slept tolerably well. 
On the 15th, at three in the morning, we took leave of 
the town of Mimcina and its inhabitants; and, bending our 
course E. N. E., traversed a hard soil of white sand, with a 
surface of small pebbles of the same colour, mixed with 
gravel; the country is diversified with hills of an extremely 
arid appearance. The Moors of Mimcina informed me that 
Beneali, the residence of the chief of the Berbers, is situated 
N. N. W. of their town, at the distance of a day's journey, 
on the road to Morocco. This nation, according to their 
account, pays no tribute to the emperor. 
x\ day's journey from Beneali in the same direction lies 
the village of Amsero ; a days' journey beyond that Ran- 
guerute, a large town, and six days farther still Morocco, the 
capital of the empire. 
Six days' journey east of Mimcina is situated the town of 
Tabelbat, on the road to Tawat, which is eight days' journey 
beyond. The Moors of Tawat are husbandmen ; they have 
numerous palm-trees, trade with Timbuctoo, and occasion- 
ally visit Tafilet and el-Drab to purchase goats and sheep. 
Pursuing our route, we arrived at the wells of Yene- 
guedel, where we halted : a quarter of mile to the south we 
saw a delightful grove of palms, offering a striking contrast 
with the barrenness of the neighbouring mountains ; but 
our guides neglected this spot^ where we might have enjoyed 
the shade, and left us exposed to the scorching sun, which on 
