Of all the questions asked by intending travellers in the Libyan Desert, none is more frequent than that as to the most likely whereabouts of undiscovered oases, and especially as to the possibility of finding the mysterious “Zerzura, or Oasis of the Blacks.” Hitherto the only aid which I have been able to render to such inquirers has been to acquaint them with the various statements which have been made by Arabs at different times as to the situation of Zerzura, with the routes which have been followed by others (including myself) who have sought in vain for it, and with the indications of old tracks which have been encountered by these previous travellers. So contradictory have been the various Arab statements, and so numerous the vain attempts to find the place, that I have at times felt almost convinced that “Zerzura” is a myth. But Owenat and Merga were little more than traditions until a year or two ago, and I think there is a sufficient possibility of the existence of undiscovered springs or oases to encourage a further look- out being kept for them, more especially as a consideration of the general surface-contours and static water-contours which are now available may furnish a new aid in the matter by narrowing down the field of search. As regards Arab traditions concerning Zerzura, the earliest account of them which I have been able to trace is that of Sir Gardner Wilkinson in his ‘Topography of Thebes and General View of Egypt,’ published in 1835, p. 359. Wilkinson’s book is now rather scarce, and his statement concerning Zerzura is so short that I quote it in full: “About five or six days west of the road from el Hez to Farafra is another Oasis, called Wadee Zerzoora, about the size of the Oasis Parva, abounding in palms, with springs, and some ruins of uncertain date. It was discovered about nine years ago (_i.e._ about 1826) by an Arab in search of a stray camel, and from the footsteps of men and sheep he there met with, they consider it inhabited. Gerbabo, another _Wah_, lies six days beyond this to the west, and twelve days from Augela; and Tazerbo, which is still farther to the west, forms part of the same Oasis; and they suppose that Wadee Zerzoora also communicates with it. The inhabitants are blacks, and many of them have been carried off at different times by the Moghrebins for slaves; though the “Vallies of the Blacks,” a series of similar Oases, lie still farther to the west.” In footnotes he adds: “It is supposed that the blacks, who invaded Farafreh some years ago, and kidnapped a great number of the inhabitants, were from this Oasis. “By another account Zerzoora is only two or three days due west from Dakhleh, beyond which is another _wadee_; then a second abounding in cattle; then Gebabo and Tazerbo; and beyond these is Wadee Rebeeana; Gebabo is inhabited by two tribes of blacks, the Simertayn and Ergezayn.”