326 
TRAVELS IN NORTHERN AFRICA. 
CHAP. IX. 
tains, to heavy sand, called Wadey Booatila, ILly ^/jjj, or "the father 
of Atila trees." At 2. 30. entered a broad pass ; had steered from 
the last bearing north 16° east four miles. Two little black boys 
this day rode my horse, which I led ; and one of them showed his 
gratitude to me by bringing me as a present, his allowance of dates, 
tied up in the tail of his shirt. At 5. 45. came through Hormut 
t' Mohalla, ^Ls^l or " the pass of the army," to a broad 
plain, on which we stopped at six, having from 2. 30. steered north 
seven miles. The slaves were very much fatigued, and with great 
difficulty came up with us. I always observed that the females 
were much less exhausted by travelling than the males ; the former 
walked together and sung in chorus, nearly the whole day, which 
enlivened them and beguiled the way. Lizari had four httle girls, 
of whom the eldest was about eight, and the youngest four years 
old ; these children were continually playing and running after 
each other, yet the smaller one was always as lively after a day's 
march, as at first setting out : she was apparently so little fatigued 
in an evening, as to be frequently reproved for keeping every one 
awake by her gambols. There w as a merry boy too, who frequently 
kept the Kaffle in a roar of laughter, by mimicking the auctioneer 
who sold him, and several of his countrymen, at the Morzouk market 
a few weeks before. 
Tuesday, 7th March, very cloudy close weather. — At 7. 30. [set 
out over very uneven stony ground and small sand hills, which at 
half a mile to the eastwardj increased in size and formed a large 
belt of sand, about nine miles in length: — observed very distant 
mountains in the same direction. The road was over a bed of 
gypsum, partially covered in several places, by sand and white snail 
shells. At three passed the natural turret called Bazeen ^^jy, and 
came to the Wadey Kli'a . We had proceeded north to Bazeen, 
and from it N.N.W. Myriads of sand flies distressed us very 
