314 THE AFRICAN ASSOCIATION'. 
cially as the rebel Arabs had evacuated that part 
of the country which he was to traverse in his jour- 
ney. On the 1st of February 1789, therefore, 
their little caravan left Tripoli, and proceeded to- 
wards Fezzan, by the route of Mesurata, which, 
though not so direct as the ancient passage by the 
way of Guariano, is yet more safe, as it is not ex- 
posed to the impositions of the rapacious tribes, 
Hooled Ben Soliman, and Benioleed. The heavy 
merchandise belonging to the Shereefs was sent 
by sea to Mesurata. 
After passing Tajara, a wretched village, com- 
posed of clay -walled huts, covered partly with ter- 
race and partly with thatch, they encamped at 
night upon a sandy eminence, having piled their 
loads in a circle, lighted their fires, and spread 
their mats within it. The Shereefs supped, in a 
familiar manner, with Mr Lucas in his tent, on 
dried meat and balls of flower, dressed in steam, 
and served up in a large wooden dish. After the 
ceremony of washing, which every man perform- 
ed by dipping his hand into the water used by 
his companions, they took coffee, smoked, and lay 
down to sleep, in their clothes, upon the bare sand, 
without any other covering than their Alhaiques 
or blankets, from the heavy dews of night. The 
second was spent in travelling among hills of loose 
and barren sands, where neither man nor beast, 
wood nor water, appeared, but the sand drifted 
