CHAP. VIII. 
RETURN TO TRIPOLI. 
.303 
enabling us to procure whatever we wanted. They gave us an 
account of a wedding which had taken place that morning, speaking 
much of the beauty of the bride ; and on hearing her named, we 
found that she was the very girl whom Lizari intended demanding 
of her father on his return from Tripoli. He was much confounded, 
but bore with great good humour our joking him at being too late. 
The successful lover was aware of Lizari's intentions ; and on 
hearing he had set out from Morzouk, instantly demanded, and 
bore off the prize. 
Thursday, February 17th. Thermometer 0. — At eight we set off 
over an uneven plain to a stony desert, a cold north wind blowing. 
After passing some hills, we arrived at the Hatia, and wells of Om 
el Abeed, JjuwJyi, having gone north 50°. E. twelve miles. We 
met a few Arabs from Sockna, who said that Sidi Mohammed ben 
Shaib was expected, on his way to the Sultan of Bornou, with 
presents from the Bashaw: they also; said an Englishman was 
with him ; but I concluded the report to have originated in its 
being known at Tripoli, that Belford and myself were to have 
accompanied him. In the evening, we filled and mended our 
Gerbas, and otherwise prepared for passing the five days' desert 
now before us. The Arabs amused themselves by placing a 
camel's skull on a rising ground, and firing ball at it, all resting 
their guns ; only one, however, struck it. I rose to fire ; but they 
all laughed at me for not placing my gun on a branch, or otherwise 
steadying it; I nevertheless struck the head twice, when, re- 
solving not to lose my reputation as a good shot, I laid down my 
gun with indifference, pretending I could hit it as often as I 
pleased. The Arabs were astonished (and I must own I was 
equally so, being but an indifferent shot in general), and gave me 
the title of Bendag, or marksman. 
Baba Hassein, whom we again joined at Zeghen, had never 
