70 
LAGHAREEFAH AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. 
dense than in any otlier I have seen. They almost 
merit the name of forests, both from their size and 
wild luxuriant appearance. The Fezzanees pay little 
attention to their culture, and when a tree falls it is 
frequently suffered to lie for months, even though 
it block up the public road. In contrast to the 
burning desert we had just traversed, these dense 
woods casting their shadows on the white sand pro- 
duced a most pleasing effect. We eagerly wan- 
dered into the cool arcades, and watched with 
delight the doves and hippoes, and other birds, as 
they fluttered to and fro amidst the drooping leaves. 
Laghareefah, like Edree, had been destroyed by 
the brilliant, though ruthless usurper, Abd-el-Ga- 
leel, on account of its resistance to his authority. 
The old town is at a little distance from the new, 
and was evidently a much better-built place, com- 
manded by an earthen kasr or fortress. 
On May 2d, we had a tempest of thunder and 
lightning to the south on the hills, produced by the 
intense heat of the morning, and its accumulation 
during the previous few days. Rain seemed to be 
falling at a distance of a few hours. In the evening 
the mercury still stood about 100°. The heat now 
was still very distressing. The wind came charged 
with dust that rolled in columns, like smoke beaten 
down by a tempest, across the surface of the valley. 
All the vegetation seemed withered, as if in an oven ; 
and the wheat in the ear was brittle, as though 
roasted. There is a good deal of wheat in this 
