TRIPOLY TO BENGAZI. 
41 
when we reached the Wady, and came up with the party who had 
preceded us in advance with the camels and heavy baggage. 
Wady Ramleh, or Rummel (as it is sometimes pronounced, which 
signifies, in Arabic, sandy river, or sandy valley), is a small, but con- 
stant stream of pure water, which finds its way across the desert 
from the mountains to the southward. The bed of the stream 
is much below the surface of the soil ; and judging from its 
width, and the steep banks which confine it, we should conclude 
that at the periods when the freshes come down from the mountains, 
W ady liamleh may be swelled into a considerable body of water. 
Here our day’s journey finished, and we pitched our tents near the 
stream, making them as comfortable as a stormy night would allow 
of for the friends who had accompanied us from Tripoly*. On the fol- 
lowing morning the rain fell in torrents ; and as the prospect afforded 
by the weather was not very inviting, we would not allow our com- 
panions to stray farther with us from home ; but took our leave of 
them, as we flattered ourselves, with mutual regret, and they retraced 
their steps towards Tripoly, while we continued our journey to the 
eastward. 
The wind had by this time increased to a violent gale, and we 
were very soon wet to the skin : but although such a state may not 
appear to be at all times an enviable one, it was in fact very much so 
on this occasion ; for the clouds of sand which would have been 
hurled in our faces by the wind, had the surface of the desert been 
* Lieut. Clapperton, Mr. Carstenson, and some other friends from Tripoly, had rode 
with us thus far on our journey. 
6 
