None of the owners ever moved without their whips, which were in constant use; that of Hadje Mohammed more so than the rest: in fact, he was so perpetually flogging his poor slaves, that I was frequently obliged to disarm him. Drinking too much water, bringing too little wood, or falling asleep before the cooking was finished, were considered nearly capital crimes, and it was in vain for these poor creatures to plead the excuse of being tired; nothing could at all avert the application of the whip. No slave dares to be ill or unable to walk; but when the poor sufferer dies, the master suspects there must have been something “wrong inside,” and regrets not having liberally applied the usual remedy of burning the belly with a red hot iron; thus reconciling to themselves their cruel treatment of these unfortunate creatures. I settled with my camel-men the day after my arrival in Tripoli, and having great reason to fear that Belford’s health was too much injured to proceed immediately, I agreed to remain there a short time, that he might be benefited by the advice of my friend, Dr. Dickson, who had kindly taken him under his care: he had been for six months afflicted with dysentery, was quite deaf, and so reduced as to be nearly a skeleton. I think it right to account for what otherwise might be attributed to neglect, my having, in the latter part of our journey, omitted to notice the variations of the Thermometer from the 28th of February to the present time. Not using my tent, I found much difficulty, in so large a Kafflé, in preventing stray camels or the slaves from treading on the Thermometer; and it was so frequently in danger of being broken, that I found no correct rate could be kept, and therefore gave up the attempt. OF THE DESERT. Having, from the time of leaving Tripoli until my return from Fezzan, been constantly on the Desert, I shall endeavour to give a description of the country so called. In all our maps, Sahāra is the appellation used to distinguish that immense tract, known also by the name of the Great Desert. Oasis is the term used for fertile spots or islands, said to be situated on the Sahāra; and Fezzan is supposed to be one of these Oasis: whereas, it is now evident, that it also is a Desert, with the exception of palms and small gardens, cultivated with great labour and difficulty, in the immediate vicinity of towns. No herbage ever grows spontaneously, except in wadeys or amongst rocks; and these in such small patches, that I never yet saw a spot covered with verdure of the size of a table, unless in the mountains near Tripoli. The Arabs have a name for every description of waste or desert, viz. the following: 1 Sahār سحعره. 2 Ghrood غرود. 3 Sereer سرير. 4 Warry وعر. 5 Hatïa حتيه. 6 Wishek ويشك. 7 Ghraba or Jezeera غابه. 8 Soobker صوبكر. 9 Wadey وادي. 10 Gibel جبل.