6 
PREPARATIONS. 
them to the general public, which will be satisfied 
probably to' know that at length everything was 
found to be in due order, and our long-expected 
departure was fixed for the 30th of March. 
I had taken care, immediately on my arrival at 
Tripoli, to write to Mr. Gagliuffi, the British Consul 
at Mourzuk, announcing my approach and enclosing 
a despatch from the Foreign Office. Moreover I had 
requested this gentleman at once to send to Ghat for 
an escort of Tuaricks, so that we might not be un- 
necessarily detained in Fezzan ; and to suggest that 
the Sheikhs should be assembled by the time we 
arrived, that the treaty I had to propose to them 
might be discussed. My former visit to this place 
will in some respects pave the way. Throughout the 
Turkish provinces of Tripoli and Fezzan a circular 
letter given to us by Izhet Pasha, and the letters of 
the Bey of Tunis in other quarters, will no doubt 
prove of some assistance, although such documents 
must lose much of their influence in the very secluded 
districts through which we shall be compelled to 
pass. After all, we must trust principally to our 
own tact, to the good will of the natives, and to that 
vague respect of English power which is beginning 
to spread in the Sahara. 
The composition of our caravan will of course 
fluctuate throughout the whole line of route ; but I 
may as well mention the most important personages 
who were to start with me from Tripoli. Setting- 
aside my colleagues, Barth and Overweg, there was. 
