132 LIZARDS NEWS FROM TRIPOLI. 
not had so much desert before; but we are still 
delighted with the continual occurrence of trees, be 
they of what species they may. There is, besides, a 
great abundance of wild water-melons, which the 
people sometimes eat. They are very small, but 
hard and sound. The lizard, which almost through 
the whole desert was found darting about and 
around the camels' feet, has now disappeared. It 
would be a curious inquiry for a naturalist to en- 
deavour to account for its disappearance, for the 
nature of the soil has not so much changed. The 
only difference — but perhaps this is great for the 
lizard — is that hereabouts occur periodic rains, which 
deluge the land for a few days in the year; and 
during these few days, probably, all the land lizards 
found in low places would be destroyed. 
This is Christmas-eve; a sorry one for us all! 
We receive no news but bad news. For to-day a 
man came up to us, who said he left Tripoli three 
months ago, and that the cholera had been very 
severe in Tripoli, making many victims; but he 
brought no particular news for us. He came by 
the way of Ghadamez and Ghat, and yet had heard 
nothing of our misfortunes on the frontier. I sup- 
pose the people of Ghat had already ceased to talk 
about us and our affairs; for here in the desert, as 
elsewhere, things are soon forgotten. We saw little 
of the rest of the caravan en route, but if we ever see 
the whole of the camels going with us, and the 
division of Aghadez, I am quite sure they will never 
