"WIND IN THE DESERT. 
145 
they are found in this plateau, and their marks had 
been traced to-day. I learn now that large turtles, 
two feet and a-half long, and one foot and a-half 
broad, are found here. The back shell of one was 
used for a watering trough by the people we met 
en route. We had sand all day, rising occasionally 
in considerable mounds. I observed the prevailing 
winds in the formation of these mounds; for there 
is always an inclined plane towards the quarter 
whence the wind blows; whilst to where it blows 
the mounds are scarped. The winds prevailing 
now are E.JNT.E.; and the wind has nearly always 
come from this direction since our arrival in Aheer. 
In another season, however, there may be a total 
change. In full summer it may be south, for what 
we know. In fact, Amankee says, in summer the 
wind always comes from the south. At this season 
the sand is covered with nice herbage in some 
places, but in the hot weather it must be all dried 
up. This is, in truth, the spring time in this country; 
the birds are all laying. There are also young birds 
fledged. In Haussa there is no word for " fledged." 
This route must really present, in some parts, 
for many hours together, an ocean of sand ; as, I 
think, it is described in the Itinerary procured by 
Davis. To-day the footprints of the giraffe have 
entirely disappeared. 
In summer it must be very difficult for large 
caravans to obtain water from this well, for our 
people were full half a day filling four or five skins. 
VOL. II. L 
