We rode over a plain, and at 10.15. arrived at Medroosa, مدروسا, a small neat village, having come south-west by south six miles. We found a large bowl of lackbi awaiting us, and I afterwards discovered that the Kaid had sent overnight to order it. We took from hence a supply of dates for our horses, and endeavoured to buy a kid; but the price of it being two dollars, and its size not exceeding that of a small cat, I was unwillingly compelled to relinquish it. At 11.25. the camel passed; we mounted and followed it to a well outside the town, where we watered our horses. Near this well are some holes for making tar, according to the manner of the Tibboo, which is thus: a pot is buried deep in the ground with the mouth upwards, which is covered by a piece of another pot with a hole bored in it; a large jar is then filled with bones and date stones, and its mouth is filled with a handful of the fibres of the palm. This is inverted on the perforated piece, and round it a strong fire of wood and camels’ dung is burnt, until the pit is full of red hot ashes. The tar then filters into the lower pot, which is dug up when the upper one cools: it is immediately fit for use. Gerbas (or water-skins) are rubbed with this composition, which resembles coal tar in smell and appearance; and it is applied to the sores of camels. I observed that every man we met after leaving Gatrone was armed with the Harba, or long spear, and wore the dagger at his wrist. At 4.15. arrived, after traversing a plain literally covered with the tracks of hyænas and jackals, at a few palms, and a well, called Kasarawa. The unevenness of the road delayed the camel until 6.15. We had travelled south 40° west, fourteen miles from Medroosa. It was not necessary to pitch our tents, as we found some palm branches, which formed a comfortable shade, in which, by the light of the full moon, we took our new year’s dinner of bazeen. There is a great deal of Deesa, a kind of light rush, growing here; and we collected, while our dinner was cooking, a quantity for our horses. It requires much beating with a stick before these animals can eat it. This is the fodder which is always taken from Tegerry to feed the horses and camels, in Kafflés passing the Tibesty mountains. We were agreeably surprised by the Kaid’s producing a couple of fowls, which he had, unknown to me, gratuitously procured at Medroosa, to make amends for the disappointment we had experienced in not purchasing the kid. As the Tibboo are not famed for respecting the goods of travellers, we prepared all our arms, and having a large fire in front of us, we lay down very snugly in our Bornouses. Our fears were, however, groundless, nothing disturbing us but the wild rats in their foraging expeditions.