AFRICAN EXPLORERS OF TEE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. 51 
fragments of mummies, tlie botanical specimens, the 
journal containing the account of the journey, and all 
the books. This loss was quite irreparable. 
A little further on, the caravan reached Augila, a 
town mentioned by Herodotus, who places it some ten 
days’ journey from the oasis of Ammon. This accords 
with the testimony given by Hornemann, who reached it 
in nine days’ forced march. At Augila a number of 
merchants from Bengasi, Merote, and Mokamba had 
joined the caravan, amounting altogether to no less than 
120 persons. After a long journey over a sandy desert, 
the caravan entered a country interspersed with hills 
and ravines, where they found trees and grass at inter¬ 
vals. This was the desert of Harutsch. It was neces¬ 
sary to cross it in order to reach Temissa, a town of 
little note, built upon a hill, and surrounded by a high 
wall. At Zuila the Fezzan country was entered. The 
usual ceremonies, with interminable compliments and 
congratulations, were repeated at the entrance to every 
town. The Arabs appear to lay great stress upon these 
salutations, little trustworthy as they are, and travellers 
constantly express surprise at their frequent recurrence. 
Upon the 17th of November, the caravan halted at 
Murzuk, the capital of Fezzan. It was the end of the 
journey. Hornemann says that the greatest length of 
the cultivated portion of Fezzan is about 300 miles from 
north to south, but to this must be added the moun¬ 
tainous region of Harutsh on the east, and the various 
deserts north and west. The climate is never pleasant ; 
in summer the heat is terrible, and when the wind blows 
from the south it is all but insupportable, even to the 
natives, and in winter the north wind is so cold that 
they are obliged to have recourse to fires. 
The produce of the country consists principally of 
dates and vegetables. Murzuk is the chief market; 
there are collected the products of Cairo, Bengazi, Tri¬ 
poli, Ghadames, Ghat, and the Soudan. Among the 
articles of commerce are male and female slaves, ostrich 
feathers, skins of wild beasts, and gold-dust or nuggets. 
Bornu produces copper ; Cairo silks, calicoes, woollen 
e 2 
