Belford considering himself quite unable to go to El Wiekh, whither I was about to proceed, I resolved on leaving him with the Kaid and Barca, to recruit his strength, proposing to return about the sixth day. I went to the gardens to see the dome trees, and obtained a few of the domes, but they were not quite ripe. The trees, which I saw were considered by the natives as small ones, being about twenty feet in height, and seven or eight in a cluster. I learnt that the fruit ripens in the spring about the same time as the corn. These trees have the trunk of the common palm, though covered with branches; and the domes grow from the sides, as well as the top of the tree. The leaves are all curved, and being very thick, form a pretty head; they are of a light green; and along their edges, and from their tops, a fibre resembling long black hair hangs down. They all unite at about three inches from their common stalk. This tree is the palm of Bornou, the Tibboo, and the Tuarick. January 6th. Thermometer 4°; wind southerly.—It had been my wish this morning to proceed to the well called El Wiekh, in hopes of there meeting the Ghrazzie; but fearing to leave Belford for so long a time, I determined on riding out to the southward as far as the day would allow me: my object in so doing was to see the state of that part of the desert, which I found the same as the one we had passed. I returned at night, and learnt, that at Mogreb the Kaid of the town had arrived from Morzouk, with two camels laden with clothes, oil, butter, and other articles for Aleiwa and such of the Sultan’s immediate household as were with him: as this man brought news that the army would pass Tegerry on the morrow, it made my proposed journey unnecessary. January 7th. Fine morning; thermometer 4°.—Myself much better, Belford very weak. At half past eight the camel started, and at nine we followed; quite rejoiced at escaping from the salt water, damaged barley, and miserable people of Tegerry. At six we arrived at Medroosa, where, even for money, I could procure no food, and where they totally disregarded the Sultan’s order. Unfortunately my character had preceded me: “He is a fool who actually pays for every thing, and yet has the power of taking it.” They carried their resistance so far, that I was at last obliged to exercise the power given me in the Teskera; but it was so late before I got the better of them, that nothing could be cooked that night. My custom of paying for every thing at the places we had passed would actually have exposed me to the risk of being nearly starved all the way back, had I not at last made them sensible of my power.