Arrival at Ghat, and reception by its Inhabitants.--The Cold of The Sahara.--Haj Ahmed, the Governor, and Sheikh Jabour.--Distribute Presents to the Governor and Jabour.--Visit the Sheikh Hateetah, styled the British Consul of Ghat.--Make the acquaintance of the Tripoline Merchant Haj Ibrahim.--The Ghat Rabble.--Ouweek arrives in Ghat.--A Visit from Touarick Women.--Arabs begging from me by force.--Arrival of Kandarka from Aheer.--Bel Kasem's account of the Slave Trade.--Visit to Haj Ahmed, the Governor; his Character and Establishment described.--Bel Kasem's Sick Slave.--All classes of People attempt to convert me to Mohammedanism.--Bad effect of an European Tourist assuming the Character of a Mahometan.--Touarghee mode of Saluting.--Miserable condition of Slaves on arriving from Soudan.--Soudanese Merchants friendly to me.--Visit from the Governor.--Report in The Desert of Christians Worshipping Idols.--Make the Acquaintance of a young Touarghee.--Slave Trading and Kidnapping Slaves up The Niger.--Economical Bill of Expenses of Journey from Ghat to Soudan. _15th._--ROSE two hours before daybreak in order to arrive early at Ghat in the morning. About ten A.M., the palms of Ghat were visible through the scattered blocks of rock in the valley, for the plain became now contracted and assumed the shape of a deep broad valley, on the one side a low range of sand-hills, and on the other the high rocky chain of Wareerat. But the first sight of the oasis, after nineteen weary days of Desert, affected me with only disagreeable sensations. The affair of Ouweek, though pretty well got over, had shaken my confidence in the Touaricks. Indeed, the painful forebodings of the last forty hours had seriously deranged my plans, and made me think of returning, availing myself the most of my unsuccessful tour. This suffering of thought day after day is intense and worries me, and will soon make me an old man, if not in years. It was the sudden shock of the affair just after receiving the messenger of peace from Ghat. I saw at once that there was a great deal of insubordination in the lesser chieftains, which made travelling in this country very insecure. I remembered the remark of my taleb, "All the Touaricks are the Divan, and each has his own opinion, and carries it out in spite of the Sultan."