130 
M^'^- LUCAS'S 
A journey of ten days more concludes their labour, and brings 
them to the imperial City of Bornou, 
Bornou^ 
* The rout which Ben Alli purfued from F»zzan to Bornou is not diJlinBy de- 
fcribed. 
His relation is, that on the 26th day from the time of his leaving Fezzan, he arrived 
at a place which in Arabic is called JVeddany or the Rivers, for Weddan is the plural of 
Wed which fignifics a river^ 
The firjl part of the country through which hepajfed is reprefented as a fandy Defarty 
in which the She (a plant that refembles the Wild Thyme of England) and a few bufhes of 
Jlorubs and floor t trees are thinly fatter ed, and wells of water are extremely rare. Wan- 
dering Arabs, of the powerful but hofpitable Tribes of BooaifJo and Duhajfin, a'^pear to be 
its only inhabitants ; and Weddan itfelfis faid to contain but 130 houfes, which are built 
of earth and fand ; and to furnijh no articles of trade hut dates and fait ; yet the country 
around it is called prolific : the rice grounds are defcribed as numerous, and multitudes of 
Jheep and goats, of camels and of horfes, fwell the lijl of its poffejjlons. 
He reprefents the Duhajfm Arabs, as Merchants journeying to Bornou, who carried 
with them for fale an affortment of goods ; among which he enumerates wheat, barley, 
dates, fait, tobacco, and alhaiks : and he obferves, that he purchafed from the Chief the 
permijfton of accompanying the Tribe, and the confequent affurance of a fafe paffage to 
Bornou. 
From Weddan, by forced marches, they arrived in twenty days at Bornou. A defart 
of fand, in fome places interrupted by woods, and occajionally watered with rivulets of a 
Jrong mineral tajle^ conjiitutes the general defcription of the country . But as he entered 
the 
