SON OF SHAFOU LEAVES US. 
177 
The son of Shafou, Mahommed Wataitee, who 
seems to have made up his mind to shirk the 
journey to Aheer, left us this morning to go to 
Aroukeen and meet his father, who is encamped 
with his flocks and dependants around that well. 
No doubt it is fashionable in Ghat land to be " out 
of town" at this season of the year. Our Kailouees 
have determined to take another and more direct 
road, avoiding Aroukeen and the Azgher Tuaricks 
in its neighbourhood. Waled Shafou says, he shall 
fall in with us somewhere about Falezlez ; but this 
seems somewhat doubtful. When people separate in 
the desert they must not calculate on meeting again 
in a hurry. We parted about three hours from the 
water of Akourou, the road to Aroukeen branching 
off there. He took the easterly route and we the 
westerly, and we were soon out of sight. Our way 
still lay through desert-hills, but with vegetation 
frequently. There was talk of the small oasis of 
Janet to our left; and we indulged in some pas- 
toral reflections on the life of contemplative ease 
and primitive simplicity which would be indulged 
in in such an out-of-the way place. 
We seem to have got into some scrape vv^ith the 
Kailouees. Besides the hundred dollars which Haj 
Ibrahim paid them to conduct us from Aheer to 
Zinder, it appears he promised them some bur- 
nouses, when we have none for them. They mentioned 
the subject to-day, very naturally. We must do as 
well as we can. They seem civil enough ; but an 
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