MR' LUCAS'S 
minions of Tripoli, a common load is from three to four hun- 
dred weight ; and the medium expence of the conveyance for 
each hundred appears to be one farthing per mile. 
The ufual rate of travelling is three miles in the hour, and 
the number of hours that are aflually employed on the rout, ex- 
cluhve of thofe which are allotted to refrelliment, is feldom more 
than feven or eight in a day. Of the number of days which 
are confumed on a long journey, many are devoted to the pur- 
pofe of occafional trade, to that of recruiting the firength of the 
camels, and to that of procuring additional ftores of provifions 
and of water ; for in all fuch places as are able to furnifli a fup-r 
ply of provifions (which are generally places of confiderable po- 
pulation, and therefore of fome traffic) the flay of the caravan 
is feldom lefs than two days, and is often prolonged to more. , 
The general food of the camels is fuch only as their nightly 
pailure affords ; and is often confined to the hard and thorny 
Birubs of the Defart, where a fullen vegetation is created by the 
rains of the Winter, and upheld by the dews that defcend in 
copious abundance through all the remainder of the year. 
