I observed the beautiful bird's nest which I mentioned the other day. It is a perfect piece of architecture, far superior to the huts made in this country. The only apparent deficiency is, that it seems to hang on nothing, or is suspended sometimes on a slender straw, at other times on a thin twig. The nest is built of straw inside and outside, but the inside is of a finer straw. I have not seen the bird who is the architect of this wonderful piece of mechanism. I observed two species of parasitical plants, one of which has a slender trunk, and has its root in the earth; and the other, which is entirely dependent on the tree over which it spreads for all its support and nourishment. Its roots are in the very boughs of the tree which bears it. Some of our blacks, who were carried over the desert when young, and had not seen or observed this phenomenon before, burst out laughing. These comicalities of vegetation amused them exceedingly. What excites the serious attention of cultivated minds often produces only laughter in vulgar and untutored people. Parasitical plants would be a complete study for the botanist here. The doom-tree has a smaller and rounder-shaped head than the common date-palm; the leaves are spread out very like a fan, but I know not whether the doom is called the fan-shaped palm. We are to stay at this place some time--there appears to be no hurry. We shall probably be here three days more. The Sultan of Asoudee is visiting amongst us, and has concerted with En-Noor that all the caravans shall go together, in order that no one portion of it shall arrive before the other in Damerghou, and so get the ghaseb cheaper; as, of course, the early arrivals generally get the better bargains. At first I could not understand the reason of our all going together; now the thing is clear enough. En-Noor called at my tent in the evening, and was very civil. I got a little milk afterwards for the tea sent him. The royal family appear now to be short of milk. I find that his royal highness has in reality only one wife, who is a slave. In an African point of view, however, even this is too much. His highness confessed to Overweg that God gave man his limited time in this as in all things. Had the beating I have recorded any relation to this bitter reflection? When the sun is down, the landscape around begins to look like Old England, the species of trees not being visible. The doom reminds me of the shorn elms along the hedges. _23d._--The Sultan of Asoudee sent this morning for powder, and was thankful for a small quantity. We remained here this day. All the valleys and country around are called _Unan_. This is also the name of a well near us, but water is usually obtained by scooping out the sand in the bed of the valleys, and there are few regular wells; those which are dug are destroyed as soon as the rain returns. Such alone remain entire as are out of the reach, or beyond the range of the periodic floods.