156 
PLAIN WOODY COUNTRY. 
plain — which extends as far as Aghadez on the 
N.W., to Gouber on the S.W., perhaps as far as 
the plain of Senezrouft, on the route of Timbuctoo 
— passing, besides, eastwards across the route of 
Bornou, — how far this vast space of desert is a pla- 
teau to the surrounding countries ; that is, whether 
higher or lower than their level. We do not think 
it is a plateau in reference to Aheer. There is 
another route to Damerghou, westward of this, on 
which is situate the forest of Kob-kob, the place 
mentioned in the itinera^ which I procured from 
the people of Ghadamez. 
4tk. — The morning was cold, with wind. The 
Tagama, I observe, have many horses. Like 
their more civilised brethren in Europe, these 
people find this the most tractable and convenient 
animal in every case where the desert does not 
interfere. 
We came south seven hours and a-quarter ; 
after four, the wavy country broke up into a deep 
valley : in another hour, on the right, was seen a 
pool of rain-water — a small lake, stretching nearly a 
mile long. The country, as yesterday, was undu- 
lating, and covered with a dwarf forest ; but the 
trees w T ere thicker, and the ground was covered 
with dried herbage, mostly karengia. It is our con- 
stant occupation, morning and evenings, for half an 
hour, to pick the burs out of our clothes. The 
animals seen were mostly small birds ; some flights 
of blackbirds, two-thirds the size of the English 
