CHAP. V. 
ZUELA. 
219 
well behaved men, and, what is really worthy of remark, never asked 
us for any thing. Kaid Saad, who was a great cook, undertook 
to dress for us a whole sheep, which was to last us the remaining 
part of our journe}^ to Gatrone. As this was one of the Arab 
methods of preparing meat for a journey, I shall here describe it. 
The sheep is deprived of all its fat, and cut into small pieces ; 
the fat is melted in a large pot, and the meat, with garlic, onions, 
and red pepper, is then stewed in it without any water, and with a 
lid on the pot, for three or four hours, when it is taken out, and 
having been cooled, is put into a goat skin. The grease is kept 
for mixing with cusscussou, bazeen, and other dishes ; and meat 
thus prepared will remain perfectly fresh for two or three weeks. 
He made us a very good mess of sheep skin, which is sliced and 
stewed with onions. 
On the 23rd December I got a good meridian altitude of the sun 
80°. 10'. 10''. which gives the latitude of Zuela, 26°. 1 1'. 48''. N. I also 
took an observation on this day ; but owing to the interruption I 
met with from some of my visiters, unfortunately lost my reckoning. 
I found myself obliged to hire another camel here, as we were 
to cross a three days' desert, and it was necessary to carry water for 
our horses ; our load too was much increased by large presents of 
zumeita, dweeda, dates, flour, and other provisions from the Shreefs. 
Dec. 25th. Therm. 9°. At 10. 45. A. M. we were attended out 
of the town by the kind natives, who promised to renew their 
acquaintance with us at Morzouk. 
Belford was now much recovered ; but I still continued in a 
very weak state. Our road lay over the highest and most irregular 
sand hills I ever saw ; the horses with great difficulty ascending 
without their riders. I was too weak to walk, and was pulled up 
by Besheer. The hired camel and its load took a most terrific 
r F 2 
