I believe myself the more competent to supply these explanations, as some of the tricks belong to conjuring proper, and others are based on phenomena drawn from the physical sciences. CHAPTER XXI. Excursion in the Interior of Africa--The Abode of a Bash-Aga--A comical Repast--A Soirée of Arab Dignitaries--A Marabout mystified--Tent-life in Algeria--I return to France--A terrible Storm--Conclusion. Once possessed of the secret of the juggling performed by the Aïssaoua, I was able to start for the interior of Africa. I therefore set out, provided with letters from Colonel de Neveu, to several heads of the Arab department, his subordinates, and I took with me Mme. Robert-Houdin, who was quite delighted at the thought of making this excursion. We were going to visit the Arab beneath his tent or in his house; eat his “couscoussou,” which we only knew by name; study for ourselves the domestic manners and customs of Africa: this was certainly enough to inflame our imagination. So much was this the case, that I hardly ever thought that the month in which we should re-embark for France would be the one in which the Mediterranean is so stormy. Among the Arabs who had invited me to visit them, Bou-Allem-Ben-Sherifa, Bash-Aga of the D’jendel, had pressed me so strongly that I determined on commencing my round of visits with him. Our journey from Algiers to Médéah was most prosaic, for a diligence conveyed us there in two days. Apart from the interest inspired in us by the peculiar vegetation of Algeria, as well as the famous peak of the Mouzaïa, which we passed at a gallop, the incidents of the journey were the same as on any French high road. The hotels were kept by Frenchmen, and you dined at the table d’hôte on the same fare, at the same price, and with the same attendance. This bagman’s existence was not what we had anticipated on leaving Algiers. Hence, we were delighted to get out at Médéah, as the diligence did not follow the same road as ourselves beyond this point. Captain Ritter, head of the Arab office at Médéah, to whom I went, had seen my performances at Algiers: hence, I had no occasion to hand him the letter of recommendation addressed to him by M. de Neveu. He received me with great affability, and Mme. Ritter joined her entreaties to her husband’s that we should visit the town. I indeed regretted being obliged to leave such agreeable persons the next morning; but I was obliged to hurry my tour over before the autumnal rains set in, which render the roads impracticable, and often, indeed, very dangerous. The captain acceded to my wishes; he lent us two horses from his stable, and gave us as a guide to Bou-Allem’s a caïd who spoke French excellently.