most graciously, and invited to sit close to her, when one of the first questions she asked me was, if in my country the ladies were as fat and handsome as herself? For the plumpness of my countrywomen, I owned, with shame, that I never had seen one possessed of half such an admirable rotundity, which she took as a great compliment; but I did not attempt to carry the comparison farther, though she was really very handsome in face and features. She amused herself while speaking with playing on a kind of drum, made of clay, called Derbooka, دربوكه, by beating with one hand, and playing with the fingers of the other; and perceiving that I was amused by it, she ordered an old man to get up and dance. The females sang and clapped their hands in good time, and the dancer went through a variety of figures, all equally indelicate. A woman then succeeded him, and in this respect quite threw him in the shade; but as I knew it to be the general mode of dancing in this part of Barbary, I of course applauded it. Lilla Fatma herself then thought proper to honour us with a few graceful attitudes in the same style; but Mr. Ritchie’s entrance into the tent soon put a stop to the exhibition, and the ceremony of veiling took place in the same manner as before. Fatma soon discovered a likeness between her late husband and Mr. Ritchie, from their being both very slender; but unfortunately the resemblance failed in all other points, her former spouse being, at the time she was obliged to leave him by an order of the Bashaw, fifty years old, with a grey beard; while, on the other hand, Mr. Ritchie was but twenty-seven, and of a very fair complexion. She was at all events determined to be pleased with us; and having sprinkled us with rose-water, allowed us to take our leave. On returning to our tent, we sent her some coffee, and a few lumps of sugar. We found here much difficulty in obtaining water for our horses, owing to the great depth of the wells, and the people being employed in filling the skins for the morrow. In the evening, we visited Mukni, at the castle; and finding him surrounded by eatables, were invited to partake of them: but we discovered, that all his people, whilst it was his pleasure to remain, were fed by the natives, cost free. We laid in a sufficient stock of barley to supply our four horses, until we should arrive at Morzouk. April 2nd.—We took water for three days, on the camels, and passed along the Wadey, at 7,15, A.M. Our friends here quitted us, in order to return to Tripoli, and we were now left to ourselves, amongst a strange people; our hearts were heavy, and we conversed but little during the remainder of the day. The country, on rising from the Wadey, was a stony desert until noon, when we passed over plains capable of cultivation, but having no water.