WELL OF TAJETTERAT. 
201 
spoiled by the freebooter Sidi Jafel Waled Sakertaf. 
This morning we pursued our way, cautiously sending 
scouts before. But as the wady opened, the place 
proved to be desolate, and we advanced joyously, 
with the confidence that this time at least we had 
been disturbed by a false alarm. Still, as we de- 
scended towards the well we could not now and 
then refrain from casting our glances about into the 
gorges of the mountains, to discover whether or not, 
after all, our enemies were lying in ambush there. 
Not a living thing stirred upon the hills ; and we 
gathered round the two wells, or rather holes scraped 
out of the sand, with feelings of delight and confi- 
dence. The water proved to be good; it is said to be 
produced by rain, and to be purgative, — a quality 
it must derive from the soil through which it trickles. 
We determined, however, not to stop at this 
place, lest the men of Janet^' might after all ar- 
rive ; and pushing on, in hopes that our track 
might be confounded with those of the caravans, we 
reached, after a rapid march of five hours and a-half, 
the well of Esalan. As we approached, we saw an 
encampment in its neighbourhood, and camels graz- 
ing about. Our vanguard halted; and the whole 
caravan soon became massed in the entrance of the 
^ This name is sometimes written ''Janet," sometimes "Ghanet." 
by Mr. Richardson, who, moreover, now describes the inhabitants of 
the place as Haghar and then as Azgher. A more definite accomit is 
given further on. It appears, however, that vulgai-ly in the Sahara all 
the Tuaricks are called Haghar, or Hagar, which seems to have been 
used rather indiscriminately in the caravan as a term of fear. — Ed. 
