66 
ENVIRONS WOMEN. 
children, and young ostriches, enliven the streets. 
There are some mosques, but none of imposing 
architecture. One, however, has a lofty tower, almost 
pyramidal in shape, supported on a basement of 
pillars, and rising to the height of about ninety feet. 
There is a kind of ladder inside ; but Dr. Barth 
was not allowed to ascend, being told that the 
entrance was walled up. 
The land around the town is slightly undulating, 
and covered in the depressions with the Acacia 
Arabica. Herbage and good water abound. There 
are no orchards near, except in Wady Ameluli ; but 
El-Hakhsas, three hours distant, produces melons 
cucumbers, and melochiyeh, and supplies the whole 
town. 
The women of Aghadez are reported to be free 
and easy in character, and let loose tremendously 
as soon as the Sultan had departed on his razzia. 
Dr. Barth had some difficulty in keeping them at a 
distance. There are more children, however, to be 
observed in Aghadez than in most Aheer towns. 
This journey of Dr. Barth's has considerably 
extended our acquaintance, both with the geography 
and the political state of Asben or Aheer. We see 
now that it is strictly a portion of the Sahara, inter- 
sected with fertile valleys, that towards the south 
begin to assume quite a tropical character. The 
inhabitants are various in origin and in name ; but 
it is difficult to describe their subdivisions with any 
accuracy. According to the natives, there are only 
