This verdure, embosomed among immense rocks of granite, on a spot where, as far as the eye can reach, no other trace of vegetation is perceptible, has something at the same time wild and pleasing, which produces an effect strikingly picturesque. The water of the wells of el-Ekseif is very good; I found a real luxury in drinking it, for it was sweet, bright, and limpid. Tired of eating nothing but boiled rice, I went to a Moor who treated me with better fare. I recounted to him my privations, in which he seemed to take some interest, exhorting me to bear my misfortunes with patience, and inviting me to partake of his supper, which consisted of rice, boiled with meat dried in the sun, and seasoned with allspice; the meat he had brought from Jenné, in which town he had lived several years occupied in commerce, I thought, by making him a little present, to obtain in return frequent invitations to his meals, and therefore gave him a piece of twenty _sous_, which he accepted; he considered himself however under no engagement in my favour, for he invited me no more. On the 13th of June, we remained beside the wells to recover from our fatigues, and refresh ourselves with copious draughts of the delicious water. The soil on which we were encamped was dry, and full of stones, which we were obliged to clear away from the spot where the camels were to lie, lest they should be hurt. In the evening water was so abundant here that I was enabled to cool my body with a calabash of cold water, and I found great benefit from it. On the 14th, we set out at five in the morning, still pursuing the same course. Descending into a plain where we found a little herbage, we halted about nine o’clock to allow the camels to graze. The road had been difficult and we had travelled about two miles an hour. At five in the evening, judging that the camels were satisfied, we continued our journey northwards, but had scarcely proceeded a mile when we were obliged to wait for part of our company, who had stayed behind; the ground which we were upon was composed of very hard grey sand, covered with fine white gravel. Towards eleven at night, the stragglers, whom their beasts had carried to a distance in pursuit of food, arrived, and we resumed our route, guided by the pole-star; we travelled all night and till eleven in the morning of the 15th. On the 15th, we met with the same soil as the day before, without any vegetation. A strong north wind prevailed and greatly incommoded us. At half past five P. M., after drinking some _dokhnou_, we again entered upon the desert. Travelling northwards all night, we found the air unusually cold, but free from fog. On the 16th of June, at sunrise, we saw a little chain of hills stretching from north to south; they appeared black, which made me presume that they were granite. About ten in the morning, we rested at the foot of a chain of hills of loose sand, which ran in a parallel direction with the granite hills.