110 
THRESHING CORN. 
seemed to spread their leaves to catcli the pleasing- 
drops! The gardens and groves all wore a happy 
smile. We hear, that lately a great deal of rain has 
fallen in the Ghat district, and on the route to 
Aheer. 
The people are preparing to thresh their corn, 
and I was interested in observing all the details of 
their process. They had scattered yesterday evening 
the fall ripe grain in its dry stalks over the ground, 
in the form of a large circle, to the depth of about 
two inches; and had then smoothed the sand all 
around in small ridges, so that if a thief came 
during the night they might observe his footmarks. 
They thresh out the grain by means of four or five 
asses or camels tied abreast, and driven round and 
round over this primitive floor. Great waste is 
occasioned by allowing the grain to mix with and 
sink in the sand ; the task of winnowing is most 
difficult afterwards. 
21th. — This day I had some conversation with 
Boro, the Sheikh of Aghadez, about the country 
and localities of Aheer, — a Saharan kingdom never 
yet explored, and which we intend to traverse on 
our circuitous route across the desert. It appears 
that Aheer is the general name of the whole cluster 
of towns and districts; that Aghadez is the medineh, 
or city; and that Asouty is a town on the line of 
the caravan route to Soudan, — a regular halting- 
place. Asben and Asbenouah are other names 
given to this same territory, and do not denote 
