CHAP. II. 
JOURNEY TO MORZOUK. 
81 
place of encampment was a small plain, without any other 
vegetation than a few prickly bushes of talhh. This spot was 
surrounded on every side by high mountains of basalt, which gave 
it the appearance of being in the crater of a volcano. We here pre- 
sented our Bouzaferr which is a kind of footing paid by all 
travellers on entering Fezzan, and is attended with ceremonies 
something similar to those observed on crossing the line. Should any 
person refuse the necessary distribution of food, the Arabs dig a grave, 
telling him that it is made expressly for him, and howling as for a 
dead person, with many other ridiculous pranks, which generally 
produce the wished-for feast. We took with us, for this purpose, 
two sheep, and a quantity of meal, and distributed portions to all 
the tents, much to the satisfaction of our fellow travellers. Lilla 
Fatma also paid her footing, as did one or two others, who had 
never before passed these mountains. We this day had advanced 
south 10" west eighteen miles. 
April 25th. — Having filled five days water for ourselves and 
horses, we left the well at 6. 40. A. M. The camels took a circuitous 
route along a deep valley, owing to a very steep mountain called 
Nufdai v^jjy, lying in front of us. The horse and footmen 
ascended it at 9. 40. by a most difficult path of large irregular 
masses of basalt. The horses, however, were sure-footed, and at 
10. 40. we again descended to a wadey, called Zgar, where the camels 
joined us, after having been four hours winding round the foot of 
the mountain, which we had crossed in one. At 11. 35. ascended 
from the wadey to a flat, called Dahr t'Moumen ^^j^jjUo (or the 
believer's back). The basalt here was in less quantities, and often 
in small broken pieces, resembHng gravel. At 1. 10. we de- 
scended to a wadey, called Emzairaat when we saw a few 
antelopes. 
Here, while I was resting under a tree, a man came and told 
