RAPID ADVANCE TOWARDS AHEER. 209 
&c. These matters being- at length settled, we pro- 
ceeded for Aisou, and journeyed a long day of 
twelve hours and a-half. I was looking out every 
moment, expecting to clear the rocks, and enter 
upon the immeasurable stretch of plain reported to 
us. But all was a rocky granite expanse, with 
conical-shaped rocks, exactly as before described. 
We begin to tire of this kind of country, which 
seemed so picturesque when we first entered upon it. 
To-day the weather was misty, and we felt 
as if entering into the circle of a new climate. 
Few or no animals were seen. All is dismal and 
dreary. 
J 5M. — We rose at daybreak, and proceeded stea- 
dily on, making a day's journey of thirteen long 
weary hours. The stony plain opened rather more 
than yesterday, but there were always rocks on 
either hand. 
To-day we had the first drops of Soudan rain, 
and a complete Soudan atmosphere. We also ob- 
served the vermilion tinge on the clouds, peculiar 
to Central Africa ; and the air was hot and clammv. 
Every sort of desert phenomenon is seen in these 
parts in perfection. The mirage often fills up the 
interstices left between the rocks, and inundates the 
plain a-head with its fantastic waters. 
I6th. — We were early in motion this day ; and 
started, cheered by the hope held out to us, that at 
the termination of two long marches we should at 
length reach, at the Seven Wells of Aisou, the 
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