January 2nd. Thermometer 1° 40′, which was the lowest we had yet seen in Fezzan; we were, however, taught to expect ice before the winter should pass. The ground we had gone over since leaving Gatrone was a narrow stripe of three or four miles, and sometimes only half a mile in breadth, bounded on either side by the desert, from which it was only distinguishable by being here and there able to produce a miserable dwarf thorn bush. Our camel had disappeared in the night, and we were all in confusion, searching for him in different directions, and doubting whether he had been stolen by the Tibboo, or had strayed on the desert, either of which events would have been equally unhappy for us. A severe attack of hemma prevented my joining the party which had gone out in search of the camel, and at two the driver returned with the animal. We learnt that he had tracked the fugitive back to Medroosa, in the gardens of which place he was wandering, probably to look for the Maherry, to which he was much attached. The skill of the Arabs is really extraordinary in tracking their animals over plains covered with the feet-marks of other camels and men. We soon set out, and from a rising ground observed that the desert was skirted by distant hills from north-east to south. Thermometer 25°. An old castle, called Gusser Hallem, bore south 50° west. At 3.15. we passed it: our road was very uneven, the ground being covered with little hummocks bearing small bushes. My horse, which felt no compassion for my liver complaint, started every five minutes at the dead wood, and caused me extreme pain. This little stripe of sand was never above a mile in breadth, and sometimes ceased altogether in a gravelly desert. We observed several locusts flying about. At 6.30. arrived at Tegerry, the southern limit of Fezzan, and obtained a tolerably good house; indeed, the only whole one in the place, built within a space surrounded by the walls of the ancient castle. Here we procured good stabling for our horses, and were free from interruption. No one could come to stare at us, and we were able to shut the castle gate in due form at night. We made south 55° west, fourteen miles. No news had arrived of the Ghrazzie. CHAPTER VI.