April 30th.—Broke up our encampment at 7 A.M. and proceeded for two hours over the hills, whence we descended a fine pass to a plain, on which stands the town of Sebha; the singular appearance of which, from the heights, was very picturesque. It is surrounded by groves of palms, while the rest of the plain is a dreary desert. At 10 we arrived at the town, which rises like a little amphitheatre: it is mud walled, and has a high square white-washed minaret to its principal Mosque. All the male population came out to salute the Sultan; and I observed that at this place the change of colour began, the people here being Mulattoes. I remarked too, that the greater part of their muskets had match-locks, and that not above one in five went off. The houses appear in neat order, but very low; and the walls are built in an irregular, but strong manner, of mud. Mr. Ritchie made the latitude of Sebha 27° 3′ 8″ north. May 1st.—The Sultan, after many disputes respecting money matters, set off with us at 5.50. P.M. the camels having departed some hours sooner. Our road, after passing the palms, was still, as it had lately been, over a gravelly plain, having at intervals large black detached stones lying on it. At midnight the horsemen stopped, and at 1 A.M. the camels came up. We lay this night on a low plain, amongst some small sand hills, which were quite barren. As the camels arrived so late, there was great confusion in unloading them; and the men were too much occupied to pay any attention to the ladies in the Shiblias. Fatma, finding no helping hand near to assist her, boldly attempted to uncoach herself; but the exertion, owing to her excessive fat, caused her to fall, or rather roll off the camel, to the great amusement of the Arabs. May 2nd.—At 6.45. proceeded on our way, and at 12 came into a wadey, having many palm bushes thickly growing about. A heavy sand wind was blowing, and the sun was quite obscured by it. My horse, taking fright at some object which he saw but indistinctly, reared up, and fell back with me under him. Happily, I only received a severe contusion on the arm. At 1.30. P.M. we arrived at Ghroodwa, غرودوه, a miserable collection of mud huts, containing about fifty people, who appeared a ragged drunken set, as the immense number of tapped palm trees testified. From the ruins of some large mud edifices, this place seems to have once been of more importance. The palms, which extend for ten or fifteen miles east and west, are the property of the Sultan, and appear in worse condition than any we have seen.