118 
HEAT — ESCORT ARRIVES. 
endeavouring to save Government money. Bat I 
have received little assistance. 
The weather still continues hot, with wind from 
the south: however, I walked in the gardens. On 
the 16tli, the boat went off to the caravan; the 
camels carried it very easily, to the astonishment of 
the good people of Mourzuk. On the 17th, the 
thermometer was at 102^ in the shade — in the sun, 
about 130°. We received letters in answer to those 
first written from Mourzuk, and learned that all the 
despatches written on the road for Tripoli had arrived 
in safety. The Arabs, therefore, are not quite so bad 
as they are represented. 
20th. — At length Hateetah may be said to be re- 
ported " in sight,^^ and we are busy preparing for 
departure. The escort has arrived at Tesaoua, and 
will be here on Saturday at latest. As the Germans 
are still at Tuggerter, we shall proceed on the Ghat 
route together, after all : it will be a tough piece of 
work, whichever way performed. The heat continues 
intense— from 100° to 104°, and 130° in the sun. 
Cooler weather is expected in August; but at pre- 
sent all the natives complain, and fevers are be- 
coming prevalent. In the desert we shall escape 
that danger ; for disease comes only in the moist 
depression of the plateau on which Mourzuk stands. 
We hear talk, by the way, of a fine new route — 
only forty days — just opened, from Ghat to Tim- 
buctoo, across the deserts of Haghar. The pre- 
