43 
observing us at a little distance, but my bands -were so benumbed, 
that I could hardly hold the bridle, much less load my gun. 
The heavy rains of the preceding night seemed to have converted 
tlie Sahara into mud. 
I kept a sharp look-out for ostriches, but had never the good 
fortune to see one. From what the Arabs said, I gather that 
many an ancient haunt of this noble species knows it no longer. 
Its impending extinction typifies the decay of the nomad. Step 
by step tlie hunters will drive it backwards. In process of time, 
its existence will be a matter of tradition — its appearance, its very 
name, will be forgotten. Like every other brevipennate bird, it 
must one day succumb to the march of civiliztition. 
At length the wished-for landmark of the Mozabite town of 
Lerryan hove in sight. A carpet wiis cjuickly spread for us in an 
unoccupied house, and the chief, with about thirty other Arabs, 
squatted in a circle. "While ^lohanimed detailed our adventures, I 
produced the credentials, which had been furnished by tbo 
CommandaHt superieur at Laghouat, and which were afterwards of 
the greatest possible service to us. It was a two-storied court 
where we were located, but all the Arab houses are built on the 
same plan, viz. : — open on the inner side, with a ladder or staircase 
leading to the roof, which is flat and strong enough to walk upon. 
They are all full of draughty crevices. In the rafters of the 
establishment I observed a pair of house buntings (Fringillariu 
saharce.) The Arab masons leave plenty of eligible chinks for 
them to nest in. 
I must attempt some description of Berryan. The town is 
surrounded by a mud-brick wall, with a good many small towers, 
some of which I ascended. The fencework upon this wall serves 
as a favourite perch for the pallid shrike, {Zanius dealbatm), which 
■with difficulty keeps its balance, its tail swaying with every gust of 
wind. The tallest building in the town is the mosque ; its tower 
is in the shape of an obelisk, and about fifty feet high. But what 
interested me niost was the wells. Every garden has one, and 
tliey are extremely deep : to draw water, the method is as follows : 
a long cord passed over the wheel of the well (which is ten feet 
above the ground) is fostened to two mules or a camel, which, 
walking down an inclined pathway, haul the wateiskin, which is 
attached to the other end of the rope, to the top of the well, where 
