68 
TRAVELS IN NORTHERN AFRICA. 
CHAP. II. 
wonderful medicine. During the night we heard a few jackals, 
whose tracks absolutely covered the sand hills round the castle. 
April 7 th. — The camels, which had been out on the plain to 
f^d on the bushes, were brought in ; and having waited till 1. 30. 
P. M. to rest the people, we loaded, and went on our way. Abd 
Allah el Bendag, an old Arab, was despatched to Morzouk on a 
Maherry, to announce the approach of the Sultan. Our camels 
were loaded with four days' water ; a strong soijj^ wind covered 
us with sand, and the day was uncommonly sultry. Our road 
lay over a barren desert called Kli'a, The surface, where clear 
of sand, was of gypsum. At 5 P. M. we passed a remarkable 
mound of limestone and sand ; which, until a very near approach, 
resembled a white turret, and is called Bazeen, ^jj) This name is 
also apphed to the country immediately surrounding it. Our view 
was bounded on every side by distant yellow hills, appearing to be 
perfectly destitute of every kind of vegetation. At 11. 40. P. M. 
rested for the night in a sandy wadey, called Boonaja, i:>-\j^\ (or the 
ewe's father), having made twenty-two miles south-south-east. This 
evening, as we rode along, the hovseinen amused themselves in 
skirmishing before Mukni ; and the Negroes danced and sang as 
well as their fatigue would allow them. The Sultan himself took 
my gun, and rode among his people at full speed, firing at their 
horses' feet. All this parade was in consequence of our now being 
in the kingdom of Fezzan. 
April 8th. — At 6 A. M. we left the wadey, and at 7 went 
through a pass, called Hormut Emhalla, ilUi^lcj^^ (or the pass of 
the army.) At 9. 20. we passed a range of table mountains, run- 
ning north-east and south-west, called Elood, The desert here 
became stony and very uneven ; a range of mountains to the 
southward, two or three miles, running east and west, and forming 
a crescent to the east of our path : they are called Guatela, aLiy 
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