CHAP. VIII. 
RETURN TO TRIPOLI. 
301 
a mess of flour, mix some of them with the sauce, to their Aseeda. 
They resemble very bad caviar in taste, and the smell is extremely 
offensive ; but habit and necessity overcome all prejudices in this 
country, and I soon became very partial to them. Sand is an 
unavoidable ingredient in this paste, and the natives consider it as 
more wholesome in consequence. One or two families gain a good 
subsistence by preparing these worms for the market of Morzouk, 
and the neighbouring towns. 
Monday, Feb. 14th. Therm. 3*. — Another Ivaffle joined vis from 
Morzouk, belonging to a native of Tripoli named Khalifa : those I 
mentioned before, set out this day for Temanhint. Belford's 
Maherry was here so lame, that I had him fired all round the foot 
by Ibrahim, who was now become very useful to us. The manner 
of firing camels is by a very thin red hot iron, which is curved so 
as to be easily turned round the foot : they have these irons of 
different lengths and sizes, for the particular part to be burned. I 
hired another camel for Belford to ride on, at the rate of two 
dollars, from hence to Sockna, agreeing that it should carry two 
skins of water on passing the Soudah. 
As I had nothing better to occupy me, I mounted my own 
Maherry, with a Tuarick Kahela, or saddle, and practised riding 
him according to their manner, which is very difficult, and not 
used in Fezzan. I fortunately succeeded much beyond my ex- 
})ectation. A town called Gurda aoj, is S. S. E. one mile from 
Sebha. 
Tuesday, 15th Feb. — At 7. 30. went on, after having been most 
hospitably treated by Lizari's friends. Our road was over a barren 
plain, until 8. 30. when we ascended a mountain called Ben Areif 
f^J^ji, by a pass named Hormut ben Areef, bearing N. 55°. E. of Sebha. 
At nine we descended to a stony plain, bounded close to the right 
by table-topped hills : to the left were a few insulated sugar-loaf 
I 
