A great deal of unpleasant discussion occurred during all these meetings, and I had to fight my way step by step. The Shereef was first on my side, but as I had promised him a present only if the treaty were signed, and as he saw that this would not take place, he turned round and became my active enemy. However, it was out of his power to do me much harm. The greater part of the last days of my stay were spent in agitation about the presents for Jabour, Khanouhen, Berka, and others, some of whom were absent. I said that nothing could be given until the Sheikhs and the people of Ghât did something for the Queen--for the presents were the Queen's presents. Finally, the day before our departure, a great uproar was made on this subject, and I was obliged to yield the point, and give them burnouses. These presents had been promised to Hateetah on the road from Mourzuk to Ghât, upon the condition that the Sheikhs and people would agree to the treaty. They had also been mentioned at Mourzuk; but then, nothing had been said about conditions. I considered it highly impolitic to allude to the treaty in the hearing of the Turks, who would have thought I was secretly going to enter into an alliance offensive and defensive with the Ghâteen against them. The Tuaricks, however, stood upon the point, that when the burnouses were promised first, there was no talk of an equivalent, and I was obliged to concede. When I had finished distributing these presents, there was peace for the few hours that we were yet to remain at Ghât. Haj Ahmed, however, seeing and hearing of all this confusion, became alarmed lest I should repeat it to Mourzuk, and refused to take the presents of tea, coffee, sugar, a white burnouse, and a few large carpet-rugs, which I offered him. His son, also, refused what I tendered, a fez and a turban, because it was not enough. Everybody in Ghât who expected a present from us, seemed determined to be satisfied with nothing less than a burnouse. The Governor wished to appear perfectly disinterested amidst this confusion and these extortionate demands of the Tuaricks. I was not sorry for the refusals, for really I have ten thousand people to give presents to before I return from the interior. I do not consider that, after all, Haj Ahmed treated us so well as he might have done. The first dinner was good; but the others were poor, and some of it I could not eat at all. He was disappointed at my not bringing him a printed Koran; but I could not, on this occasion, make such a present. Hateetah, in all these disputes at Ghât, has acted a double part. Publicly he was our enemy; but privately he pretended to be our greatest friend. He was imitated in his conduct by the son of Shafou, who seemed to look upon him as his Mentor. On leaving, Hateetah promised that I should see something wonderful which he would do for me, speaking of the treaty. I am afraid that not much reliance can be placed on these fine promises.