carry it, with the distance, that this commerce is not very profitable to the Tuaricks; but this can only be ascertained in the markets of Kanou, and other large cities of Soudan. There are only six months to the rainy season, so I have just time to go to Sakkatou and return, without waiting long at any of the intermediate places between Sakkatou and Kuka. Our encampment is under some rocks, where are seen the dens of lions. At the mouth of these caves or holes are bones of animals and the dung of the lions. _15th._--I rose early, but we did not start till two hours after sunrise. The caravan was a considerable time in loading. We have only with us En-Noor's detachment of the salt-caravan, about 130 camels. We may be quicker in our movements to-morrow. The first morning of starting is always thus slow. We came to-day five hours: passed the picturesque rock Mari, like a camel couchant, and entered after three hours the Asoudee route, or the direct caravan route from Ghât to Damerghou, through Aheer. Another detachment of the salt-caravan passed or crossed us, and took another route to the east. Our course was always southwards, now S.E. now S.W., through wadys filled with trees, mostly tholukh and its varieties; the rocks were all granite. Aheer appears to be a region essentially of granite, although here and there are volcanic cones striking up, composed of basalt, or a variety of this stone. The weather was very cloudy and cold, only a little warm in the middle of the day. We have not come to water or wells for three days, because our journeys are very short. To-day I saw, for the first time, the indigo plant--_neela_ in Arabic, and _bala_ in Soudanese. I was glad to make its acquaintance. It grows amongst the other herbage, and may be easily confounded with it as a common herb. It is now in seed, the pods being small and very hard. This is one of the products capable of working the regeneration of Africa, if Africa is to be civilised by legitimate commerce. En-Noor asked to-day if, on entering Constantinople, we English made presents. I told him very positively, "No;" but, on the contrary, everything which the English demanded of the Sultan of the Turks he did for us; and because the Sultan was weak, England was obliged to protect him against the encroachments of the other Christian nations.