Thursday, 16th March.—Heavy black clouds all round us. At 7.15. we set off, but at eight were obliged to stop again (having gone north one mile and a half). The rain falling in torrents, we put up our tents and goods, as well as the time would admit, on a rising ground near a wadey, which was soon partially flooded. I sheltered twenty-six poor shivering girls and four boys in my tent, and we were of course pretty well crowded. I managed to put dry clothes on some of them, and to make them more comfortable. At noon the rain ceased for a time, and we had occasionally light showers during the rest of the day. Belford and myself sallied out, and, kneeling down, drank sweet water for the first time since leaving Tripoli, with a zest greater than any toper ever felt on tasting the most exquisite wine. I observed that the fresh water caused me very severe pain in the bowels, and occasioned a sensation of fulness in the chest. A snake was killed by the Negroes, nearly seven feet in length, but so much mutilated that it was impossible for me to skin it. Friday, March 17th.—Last night the poor sick Negress died from fatigue and the united effects of cold and rain. Showers during the night. The morning was fine, and at seven we took our road over a flat of yellow sandy earth, covered with grass and small bushes; in many places the ground bore marks of the plough. At noon we had travelled north 10° west, ten miles, when the sky became much overcast. We lost our road until this period, and now having found it, proceeded north 20° east. At five the rain came on, and we encamped on some small hillocks in the wadey, having made fourteen miles since noon. Total, twenty-four miles. The latter part of our road was hilly and full of wadeys. Our tents were no sooner pitched than very heavy rain came on, in a tremendous storm (called Gherra قرّه by the Arabs): thunder and lightning close to us. The noise was tremendous, and the wadey before us was quickly filled with a roaring torrent, sweeping all before it: happily, the tents were on a rising ground, which prevented them from being washed away. The mountain torrent continued all night. I had often heard these storms spoken of, but always imagined that the accounts given of them were much exaggerated; I now found that the description did not at all come up to this night’s tempest. Sixteen poor Negresses took shelter with me, and remained under the carpet, full of gratitude at being protected from a storm, the noise of which made them tremble.