APPROACH TO MOURZUK. 
77 
sending us two fowls and supper for our people. 
This place consists of huts made of palm-branches 
and of mud hovels, several of which are in ruins. 
The same remark constantly recurs in reference to 
almost all the towns of Barbary, both towards the 
coast and far in the interior. The vital principle 
of civilisation seems to have exhausted itself in those 
parts. 
I was now in a country comparatively familiar to 
me, and knew that I had but one more ride to 
reach the capital of Fezzan. Rising early on the 
6th, therefore, I determined to press on in advance of 
the caravan ; and starting with warm weather, puffs 
of wind coming now from the south-east, now from 
the north-west, very unsteadily — the atmosphere 
was slight]}'' murky, with sand flying about — I soon 
came in sight of the palm-groves of Moiirzuk, with- 
out making any other rencontre than a Tuarick 
coursing: over the desert in full costume. The old 
castle peeped picturesquely through the trees, but I 
had still a good way to go before reaching shelter. 
The sand and white earth that form the surface of 
the oasis near the town were painfully dazzling to 
ray eyes. 
At length I reached the suburbs, where a few 
people stared curiously at me. My arrival had 
been announced by the chaouches, who had gone 
on about a quarter of an hour before ; and at the 
eastern gate the soldiers allowed me to pass with- 
out notice, or any allusion to gumruk. Mr. Gag- 
