OBSERVATIONS FASTING. 
145 
came grumbling as usual, wanting scissors, razors, 
kc. I cannot fill this craving abyss to the brim. 
Our people fast to-day ; but to-morrow, probably, 
they will not, as the law does not require them to 
do so when actually travelling. 
I have left Doctors Barth and Overweg to take 
the compass-direction of this route. To do this 
when with them would be useless for me, but when 
I leave them I must tlien do all the work I can. 
Now, it would be only accumulating on my shoulders 
useless labour. Besides, they will always do this 
kind of thing much better than myself. The same 
observation applies to the thermometer. It would 
be w^ell, however, if I practised taking observations 
with them. But we are all sufficiently worked, and 
can assist one another but little in these matters. 
The wind has been variable for the last three 
days, — in the evening, generally N.E. In the after- 
noon it begins to move round, until it blows from 
all the points of the compass. To-day we have hot 
wind or gusts of v^ind. It has been very hot, 105^ 
Fahrenheit under the tent. 
Our people suffer much from their fasting. But 
the Tuaricks do not fast, and seem to look with scorn 
upon the Moors and blacks for doing so. Yusuf 
says he shall not fast when he is en route. A camel 
has broken down on the road, and it is found neces- 
sary to kill it to prevent its dying. Hateetah has 
given out his decree for its sale. The Tuaricks are 
to purchase half and we half of the carcase, at ten 
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