This important day could not be allowed to pass by my people without a tremendous quarrel. Our blacks seemed to be in a peculiarly excitable state. Ali, especially, who has distinguished himself for several days in the obstreperous line, has had a regular turn-to with his father-in-law; and not satisfied with this, nearly strangled Moknee's son. The Mandara black threw himself on the ground and called out,--"Load my pistol, O Chaouch; I must shoot this reprobate Ali!" This fellow is a pest in the caravan, and I have been obliged to send him off and insist on his return to Tripoli. He may be brought to his senses in this way. CHAPTER IV. Commence crossing the Hamadah--Last Pillar of the Romans--Travelling in the Desert--Rapid March--Merry Blacks--Dawn--Temperature--Ali returns--Day-travelling--Night-feelings--Animals--Graves of Children--Mirage--Extent of the Plateau--It breaks up--Valley of El-Hasee--Farewell to the Hamadah--Arduous Journey--The Camel-drivers--New Country--Moral and religious Disquisitions--The Chaouches--Reach Edree--Abd-el-Galeel--Description of Edree--Subterranean Dwellings--Playing at Powder--The Kaïd--Arabic Literature--Desertion of the Zintanah--Leave Edree--Sandy Desert--Bou Keta the Camel-driver--Wady El-Makmak--The Lizard--Reach Wady Takadafah--Sand--Another _Embroglio_. The sun was setting as our caravan, which we had collected in as compact a body as possible, got under way, and rising out of the valley of Tabooneeah, began to enter upon the plateau. It is difficult to convey an idea of the solemn impressions with which one enters upon such a journey. Everything ahead is unknown and invested with perhaps exaggerated terrors by imagination and report. The name of Desert--the waterless Desert--hangs over the horizon, and suggests the most gloomy apprehensions. Behind, in the fading light, the trees of the valley still show their dim groups; before, the lofty level, slightly broken by undulations, stretches away. There was one cheering thought, however. My companions had by this time set up their tent for the night; and although, creeping along at the camel's slow pace, we could not expect to come up to that temporary home until it was about to be deserted, still the knowledge of its existence took away much of the mysterious terror with which I entered upon this desolate region in the hour of coming shadows. An additional solemnity was imparted to the commencement of this arduous journey by the fact that we now passed the last pillar erected by the Romans. Their mighty power seems to have recoiled, as well it might, before the horrid aspect of the Hamadah.