298 
TRAVELS IN NORTHERN AFRICA. 
CHAP. VIII. 
females in one line, the males in another, and are covered over with 
sacking until morning. 
February 12th. Thermometer 30° below 0". — Water frozen, 
and the poor Negroes in great distress from the cold. At 8. 20. 
loaded and proceeded along the edge of the Wadey. Belford walked 
for a time, and his camel appeared much swelled about the foot. 
Course north 75° east ; Wadey about one mile in breadth, bounded 
on each side by the Desert. At one P. M. we stopped at Ghroodwa, 
having made twelve miles. Here is a fine Mosque and a tomb 
(which is kept constantly white- washed) over the grave of the third 
brother of Sidi Besheer, the Maraboot of whom I have before spoken. 
I bought a fine sheep for a dollar and a half. 
February 12th. Thermometer 2° SO'. — At eight proceeded along 
the Wadey ; at 9. SO. arrived at the end of it, and found a well 
called Bir el Whishki, or well of the palm bushes. We were joined 
here by a chowse of the Bashaw of Tripoli, who had just come 
from thence with thirty camels' load of grain ; he said it was 
reported that the English Consul was coming to meet me at 
Benioleed. On leaving the well we entered again on a stony desert, 
and at 6. 15. descended a rugged pass called Tanei'a, to a plain 
hemmed in on every side by conical-shaped hills. At 6. 40. we 
stopped for the night, having travelled north 33° east twenty-six 
miles. A large Kaffle of natives of the Wadey Shiati, v^-^^j 
passed us on their way to Morzouk, with grain, and to comphment 
the Sultan on his son's return. We had many Arab games while 
sitting with the camel-men round our fires ; and I now began to be 
well acquainted with these people, having occasionally been under 
the necessity of honouring one or two of them with a box on the 
ear. We were all very merry, and one of my people, Ibrahim el 
Fetaima, an Arab of Hoon, told us some very amusing stories. 
