On the 20th of May, at five in the morning, we continued our course to the north, the country being of the same nature, as that which we traversed the day before. About ten o’clock we halted in a place which was absolutely bare. The heat was beginning to be excessive, and we hastened to stretch the covering (a tanned sheep-skin which served for a tent) under which we collected for the rest of the day. We had each a calabash of water containing about three bottles which we swallowed at a draught; but this tepid water only filled the stomach without quenching our thirst: I would fain have drunk oftener, and a smaller quantity at a time, but the Moors who presided over the distribution of the water would not hear of this new arrangement, and adhered to the old practice. The poor negro slaves, accustomed to a fertile country, suffered from this way of life, but they were no worse off than the rest of us; we were all on an equality. It was not yet noon, and we were to have nothing to eat or drink till five in the evening. The heat was excessive and the east wind raised a great quantity of sand, as it had done most days; we suffered dreadfully. At the moment when I was thinking of nothing but the present calamity, old Aly came to inform me that the water-skins which Sidi-Abdallahi of Timbuctoo had given me were not large enough, and that our provision of water would not last long if we were not extremely economical. The rogue was right; for whilst I had three skins for my share, he and his companions had only two small ones a-piece, and there were nine persons to be supplied for a week. I was certainly entitled to forbid their making use of my stock; but what should I have been the better if I had? they would have drunk the water, and told me the east wind had dried it up. I answered therefore that I was obliged to Aly for his information, and that I should take his advice. During this conversation, which was followed up on my part by many painful reflections, the east wind increased; it was no longer a time for talking of one’s affairs, but every one lay down to sleep, as we intended to travel during the night. My eyes never closed, and I lay wide awake. The east wind continued till sunset and then changed to the west; though its force was abated, it hardly incommoded us less, for it still blew up a great quantity of sand. At five o’clock we had a calabash of dokhnou, and then lay down again till nine, when we started. We marched all night; and the calm was stifling, for the west wind had ceased. The country through which we travelled was quite level and absolutely barren. The slow and unvaried step of the camel made me drowsy. I laid my head upon my bag, and slept a little.