tempt or suspicion, he soon followed the example of the rest, and became his own cook.

There are as usual oases, or verdant spots, in this immense waste. Ten days brought the caravan to Ummesogeir, a village situated on a rock, with a hundred and twenty inhabitants, who, separated by such immense deserts from the rest of the world, pass a peaceful and hospitable life, subsisting on dates, the chief produce of their arid soil.

Another day's journey brought them to Siwah, a much more extensive oasis, the rocky border of which is estimated by Horneman to be fifty miles in circumference. It yields, with little culture, various descriptions of grain and vegetables; but its wealth consists chiefly in large gardens of dates, baskets of which fruit form here the standard of value. The government is vested in a very turbulent aristocracy of about thirty chiefs, who meet in council in the vicinity of the town-wall, and, in the contests which frequently arise, make violent and sudden appeals to arms. The chief question in respect to Siwah is, whether it does or does not comprise the site of the celebrated shrine of Jupiter Ammon -that object of awful veneration to the nations of antiquity, and which Alexander himself, the greatest of its heroes, underwent excessive toil and peril to visit and to associate with his name. This territory does in fact contain springs, a small edifice with walls six feet thick, partly painted and adorned with hieroglyphics. There are also antique tombs in the neighbouring mountains; but as the subsequent discoveries of Belzoni and Edmonston have proved that all these features exist in other oases scattered in different directions along the desert borders of Egypt, some uncer tainty must perhaps for ever rest on this curious question.

The route now passed through a region still indeed bar. ren, yet not presenting such a monotonous plain of sand as Intervenes between Egypt and Siwah. It was bordered by precipitous limestone rocks, often completely filled with shells and marine remains. The caravan, while proceeding along these wild tracts, were alarmed by a tremendous Draying of asses; and, on looking back, saw several hundreds of the people of Siwah armed and in full pursuit, mounted on these useful animals. The scouts, however, soon brought an assurance that they came with intentions perfectly peaceable, having merely understood that in the

caravan there were two Christians from Cairo; on being allowed to kill whom, they would permit the others to proceed unmolested. All Horneman's address and firmness were required in this fearful crisis. He opposed the most resolute denial to the assertions of the Siwahans; he opened the Koran, and displayed the facility with which he could read its pages; he even challenged his adversaries to answer him on points of Mohammedan faith. His companions in the caravan, who took a pride in defending one of their members, insisted that he had cleared himself thoroughly from the imputation of being an infidel; and as they were joined by several of the Siwahans, the whole body finally renounced their bloody purpose, and returned home.

The travellers next passed through Augila, a town so ancient as to be mentioned by Herodotus; but now small, dirty, and supported solely by the passage of the inland trade. They then entered the Black Harutsch, a long range of dreary mountains (Mons Ater of the ancients), through the successive defiles of which they found only a narrow tract enclosed by rugged steeps and obstructed by loose stones. Every valley, too, and ravine into which they looked appeared still more wild and desolate than the road itself. A gayer scene succeeded when they entered the district of limestone mountains called the White Harutsch. The rocks and stones here appeared as if glazed, and abounded in shells and other marine petrifactions, which, on being broken, had a vitrified appearance.

After a painful route of sixteen days through this solitary region, the travellers were cheered by seeing before them the Great Oasis, or small kingdom of Fezzan. Both at Temissa, the first frontier town, and at Zuila, the ancient capital, which is still inhabited by many rich merchants, they were received with rapturous demonstrations of joy. The arrival of a caravan is the chief event which diversifies the existence of the Fezzaners, and diffuses through the country animation and wealth. At Mourzouk, the modern capital, the reception was more solemn and pompous. The sultan himself awaited their arrival on a small eminence, seated in an arm-chair ornamented with cloth of various colours, and forming a species of throne. Each pilgrim, an approaching the royal seat, took off his sandals, kissed

the sovereign's hand, and took his station behind, where the whole assembly joined in a chant of pious gratitude.

Fezzan, according to Horneman, has a length of 300 and a breadth of 200 miles, and is much the largest of all the oases which enliven the immense desert of northern Africa. It relieves however, in only an imperfect degree, the parched appearance of the surrounding region. It is not irrigated by a river or even a streamlet of any dimensions; the grain produced is insufficient for its small population, supposed to amount to 70,000 or 75,000 inhabitants; and few animals are reared except the ass, the goat, and the camel. Dates, as in all this species of territory, form the chief article of land produce; but Fezzan derives its main importance from being the centre of that immense traffic which gives activity and wealth to Interior Africa. Mourzouk, in the dry season, forms a rendezvous for the caravans proceeding from Egypt, Morocco, and Tripoli to the great countries watered by the western rivers. Yet the trade is carried on less by the inhabitants themselves than by the Tibboos, the Tuaricks, and other wandering tribes of the desert, concerning whom our traveller collected some information, but less ample than Lyon and Denham afterward obtained from personal observation. Of Timbuctoo he did not learn much, Morocco being the chief quarter whence caravans proceed to that celebrated seat of African commerce. But respecting the eastern part of Soudan he received intelligence more accurate than had hitherto reached Europe. Houssa was for the first time understood to be, not a single country or city, but a region comprehending many kingdoms, the people of which are said to be the handsomest, most industrious, and most intelligent in that part of Africa, being particularly distinguished for their manufacture of fine cloths. Among the states mentioned were Kashna, Kano, Daura, Solan, Noro, Nyffee, Cabi, Zanfara, and Guba. Most or all of these were tributary to Bornou, which is decidedly the most powerful kingdom in Central Africa; and it was so regarded even before the rise of the Fellatah empire, which has caused, in this respect, a re markable change. The Niger, according to the unanimous belief in the northern provinces, was described as flowing from Timbuctoo eastward through Houssa, and holding the same direction till it joined or rather became the Bahr-el

Abiad, the main stream of the Egyptian Nile. Prevalent as this belief is among the Arabs, late discoveries have proved it to be entirely erroneous; the river or rivers which water Houssa being wholly distinct from that great stream which flows through Bambarra and Timbuctoo.

Horneman, after remaining some time at Mourzouk, had resolved to join a caravan which was about to proceed southwards into the interior; when, observing that the cavalcade consisted almost wholly of black traders, any connexion or intercourse with whom was likely to afford him little favour in the eyes of the Moors, he was induced to forego this purpose, more especially as there was the greatest reason to apprehend obstruction in passing through the country of the Tuaricks, who were then at war with Fezzan. He was informed, besides, that caravans from Bornou occasionally terminated their journey at Mourzouk, again returning south; by which, at a future period and under more propitious circumstances, he hoped to have an opportunity of accomplishing his object. These considerations determined him to postpone his departure into the interior, resolving in the mean while, with the view of forwarding his despatches to the Association, to visit Tripoli; where, however, he did not arrive till the 19th August, 1799, having been detained a considerable time by sickness. After remaining in this city about three months, he again returned to Mourzouk; nor was it till the 6th April, 1800, that he departed thence for the southward, in company with two shereefs, or descendants of Mohammed, who had given him assurances of friendship and protection. His letters were filled with the most sanguine hopes of success. But the lapse of two years without any tidings threw a damp on the cheering expectations thus raised in the Association and the public. In September, 1803, a Fezzan merchant informed Mr. Nissen, the Danish consul at Tripoli, that Yussuph, as Horneman had chosen to designate himself, was seen alive and well on his way to Gondasch, with the intention of proceeding to the coast and of returning to Europe. Another Moorish merchant afterward informed Mr. M'Donough, British consul at Tripoli, that Yussuph was in safety at Kashna in June, 1803, and was there highly respected as a Mussulnian marabout or saint. Major Denham afterward learned that he had penetrated across Africa as far as Nyffe

A

on the Niger, where he fell a victim, not to any hostility on the part of the natives, but to disease and the climate. young man was even met with, who professed to be his son, though there was some doubt as to the grounds of his claim to that character.

The Association, when their hopes from Horneman had failed, began to look round for other instruments; and there was still a number of active and daring spirits ready to brave the dangers with which this undertaking was surrounded. Mr. Nicholls, in 1804, repaired to Calabar, in the Gulf of Benin, with the view of penetrating into the interior by this route, which appeared shorter than any other. He was well received by the chiefs on that coast, but could not gain much intelligence respecting the Niger, being informed that most of the slaves came from the west, and that the navigation of the river, at no great distance, was interrupted by an immense waterfall, beyond which the surface of the country became very elevated. Unfortunately, of all the sickly climates of Africa this is perhaps the most pestilential; and Mr. Nicholls, even before he had commenced his journey fell a victim to the epidemic fever.

Another German, named Roentgen, recommended also by Professor Blumenbach, undertook to penetrate into the interior of Africa by the way of Morocco. He was described as possessing an unblemished character, ardent zeal in the cause, with great strength both of mind and body. Like Horneman, he made himself master of Arabic, and proposed to pass for a Mohammedan. Having, in 1809, arrived at Mogadore, he hired two guides, and set out to join the Soudan caravan. But his career was short indeed; for soon afterward his body was found at a little distance from the place whence he set out. No information could ever be obtained as to the particulars of his death; but it was, too probably, conjectured that his guides had murdered him with the view of seizing his property.

The public mind, meantime, continued fixed with intense interest on Africa, and every channel by which even the most imperfect information respecting it could be obtained was carefully examined. Much attention was at one time excited by tidings derived even from a foreign and rather doubtful source. The African coast from Morocco to the Senegal is singularly perilous, beset with numerous sand