The caravans which were assembled at El-Arawan prepared to depart in a few days. I looked forward with pleasure to the happy moment when I was to leave this disagreeable country. My host, a zealous Musulman, laid in a supply of provisions for my journey. It was neither to his generosity nor his friendship for me that I owed this attention;—it was purely a sacrifice, which his piety prompted him to make in order to conciliate the favour of the prophet. The provisions consisted of a bag of rice weighing about fifty pounds, a bag of dokhnou of the same weight, and about ten pounds of butter. This was more than sufficient to last me two months. Wishing to make some acknowledgment for the attention of Kalif, I offered him some pieces of silver, a pair of scissors, and a small piece of cloth, the only one I had left. The good Musulman at first affected an unwillingness to accept my presents, saying that I was poor, and that probably the things would be useful to me, and that what he had done for me was solely with the view of serving God. He however put the silver in his pocket, and was apparently much pleased with that sort of money which is very uncommon in this country. He sent my provisions to the tent of Sidi-Aly, a Moor, with whom I was to go to Tafilet. This man, whom Sidi-Abdallahi-Chébir had recommended to me, had received on departing from Timbuctoo ten gold mitkhals (equal to 120 francs) for my expenses in the desert. A Moor, who was settled at El-Arawan, and with whom I used frequently to converse, made me a present of a skin to enable me to increase my supply of water. He informed me that I should suffer much from thirst on the journey, and that for seven or eight days we should meet with no wells. The description he gave of crossing the desert at this season made me shudder. I thought I should certainly share the fate of the many unfortunate travellers who had perished there. However I rallied my courage, by dwelling on the hope of relating in my native country the result of my observations. I then no longer thought any difficulty insurmontable.