150 
COLD WEATHER OSTRICHES. 
how many people he has killed with arrows, &c. &c. ; 
but Zumzug requires especial notice from me, on 
account of his having run off to Aghadez with a 
caftan of mine ; and also from the curious circum- 
stance that En-lSToor keeps such a thief amongst 
his slaves, so confounding the honest with the 
thievish servants. 
January 1, 1851. — A strong, bleak, north-east 
wind ushers in the New Year. It began yesterday, 
and is likely to continue for some time. Most 
comfortless and disagreeable weather is this for the 
caravan. The people do not like to move, and 
show a decided tendency to hibernation. Some 
camels are also lost — escaped from the numbed 
fingers of their drivers. I, too, feel it cold ; and 
yet there is so much of home in this weather — this 
keen, bracing air — that I cannot complain. 
Our people caught the camels at length, and 
we proceeded still southwards. After three hours' 
travelling we appeared to have passed the most 
barren portion of the plateau, and came upon a new 
species of tree, called in Haussa, tadana. We have 
this day had a splendid sight of ostriches — eleven 
feeding in a troop near us, quietly like so many 
sheep — eccentric birds of their species, showing no 
tendency to scud away. Perhaps I shall never 
see so many again together. They were all black, 
with maybe a white feather or two underneath the 
sombre plumage. 
The small tholukh-trees are full of birds' nests. 
