TRAVELS IN NORTHERN AFRICA. 
CHAP. I. 
day in our company. He gave us a hearty welcome, and set before 
us a large wooden bowl of dates, mashed up with hot oil, which we 
found very good ; its appearance was not unlike soft soap. The 
women sat bfehind a carpet, and peeped at us through a small 
hole in it. After quitting our kind host, we crossed the broad 
bed of a water-course, when our road lay between two moun- 
tains, the right hand one being called Smeeran and that 
on the left Batus jj.uJu distant from each other about one mile 
and a half. Here the ground began to rise a httle, and greater 
quantities of herbage appeared. We travelled on in hopes of finding 
a well until 4. SO., but without success ; we therefore pitched our 
tents on a little rising ground, near some Arabs, and after much 
trouble, succeeded in purchasing a skin or two of water for our 
horses. The Sheikh provided an excellent supper of Bazeen and 
stewed lamb for us ; and we had a full tent of Arabs squatted on 
their heels, who came to look at us whilst we were eating. After 
our dinner we made a little coffee, which, as well as our European 
cups, excited much astonishment. We offered some to the Sheikh, 
who not knowing what it was, suspected some treachery, and at 
first refused to take it ; however, by a Httle persuasion, we overcame 
his prejudice, and seeing that we ourselves drank some, he at length 
swallowed it with confidence. One of the party, on tasting some, 
spat it out in horror, calling loudly on the Prophet, " Ya Eas- 
soul Ilia 411 J^-^jV. Prophet of God ! " A third was so much 
pleased with it, and became so great a connoisseur, that he ab- 
solutely refused a second cup, because it was too cold. A Kaleide- 
scope was handed round to the visitors, and excited general 
admiration and amazement ; like children, they quarrelled for their 
turns to look through it, and if I might judge from the repeated 
laughter and exclamations made use of, many extraordinary observa- 
