amongH the Arabs of the Great African Desei't. ^-5*3 
Tents and provisions had been provided by the pilgrims, and 
the party staid all night in the valley. Next day some of them 
walked five or six miles into the neighbouring country, and saw 
three or four ruins of large buildings, one of which had walls 
standing, that were pierced by two or three square windows. 
The walls were of rough rock-stone,” with clay for mortar. 
These ruins covered a great deal of ground, and had evidently 
been once inhabited, but the people with whom Scott was, did 
not seem to know any thing about their former use. At night 
they remained in the tents, and next day returned to the sea- 
side. Before setting off, and also at day-break on the preced- 
ing day, the Arabs said their prayers at the building. During 
their stay on that side of the JBahar, Scott was never again ta- 
ken to the grave, though he believes that the party went to it 
almost every day *, with camels and mules. He was confined 
in the hut where he was lodged, and was never allowed to go 
farther than the door, in consei^uence of his refusal to become a 
Mahommedan i*. 
While he remained there, many people, some of whom wore 
red caps on their heads, came on mules and camels, as pilgrims 
from the southern side of the lake, to offer (as it was said) sheep 
aqd goats at the grave ; and there were also frequent arrivals of 
parties like their own, who came in boats from the northern side 
of the water. 
The people of El Hezsh eat in the middle of the day as well 
as at night. Their food, as also that of the people of El Sha- 
nag, consists chiefly of corn-bread and dates ; they making much 
less use of goats’ and camels’ milk, and camels’ flesh, than the 
other Arab tribes do when stationary. They make, however, 
kouskusu j;. 
* It Is customary with Mahommedans to pray at the tombs of their holy 
men ; and this pilgrimage mi^ht be substituted for that to Mecca, the distance to 
which being too great frar the wandering tribes to undertake. 
The firmness of Scott in this particular is highly praiseworthy. It had 
been reported before his return that he had renounced Christianity, and embraced 
the faith of Mecca ; but the writer of this note has decisive proof, that he never 
had conformed to the ceremonies of that religion. 
$ An excellent African dish, much used in Morocco, made by seething a 
fowl in a pipkin filled with granulated flour ; its juices are absorbed by the farina# 
ceous matter, which is thus rendered very palatable. It is a pilau. 
