ersed the whole country towards Egypt; he wandered about for above a month in the desert valleys between Aswán and Kosér, and afterwards pursued his journey by land all the way through Syria and Asia Minor to Constantinople.

While traversing these extensive tracts, where European comfort is never altogether out of reach, where lost supplies may be easily replaced, and where the protection of European powers is not quite without avail, he had often cast a wistful look towards those unknown or little-known regions in the interior, which stand in frequent, though irregular, connection with the coast. As a lover of ancient history, he had been led towards those regions rather through the commerce of ancient Carthage, than by the thread of modern discovery; and the desire to know something more about them acted on him like a charm.

In the course of a conversation he once held with a Háusa slave in Káf, in the regency of Tunis, seeing the interest Barth took in his native country, the slave made use of these simple but impressive words: "Please God, you shall go and visit Kanó." These words were constantly ringing in Barth's ears; and though overpowered for a time by the vivid impressions of interesting and picturesque countries, they echoed with renewed intensity as soon as he was restored to the tranquillity of European life.

Dr. Barth volunteered cheerfully to accompany Mr. Richardson, on the sole condition, however, that the exploration of Central Africa should be made the principal object of the mission, instead of a secondary one, as had been originally contemplated.

His companion, Dr. Overweg, was a clever and active young geologist; but, unfortunately, he was deficient in

that general knowledge of natural science which is required for comprehending all the various phenomena occurring on a journey into unknown regions. Having never before risked his life on a dangerous expedition, he never for a moment doubted that it might not be his good fortune to return home in safety; and he therefore did not always bestow that care upon his journal which is so desirable in such an enterprise. Nevertheless, Dr. Barth says that almost all his observations of latitude have been found correct, while his memoranda, if deciphered at leisure, might still yield a rich harvest.

Mr. Richardson was still waiting in Paris for dispatches, when his younger and more zealous colleagues, Drs. Barth and Overweg, reached Tunis by way of Philippeville and Bona, on the 15th of December, 1849. From thence they proceeded to Tripoli by land, and when joined there by the head of the expedition, finding the preparations for the final departure for the interior would occupy at least a month, they wisely resolved to pass the time in an excursion through the mountainous region that encompasses Tripoli, in a radius of from sixty to eighty miles.

Coasting the district of Zenzur-one of the finest in Tripoli for richness of soil and good water-they next trav

ersed that of Tawiya, "the corner," which, although it consists for the main part of sand-hills, contains an aggregate population of 20,000 souls. Hence they turned inland over the praries of the Belasa, first reaching the tertiary limestones and gypsum at the foot of the hills, at the Wady el Ethel, or valley of the Oriental Tamarisk.

After having passed a small defile, they at length emerged into the northwest branch of the valley of Mizda, called here Wady Udé-Sheráb, the channel of which is lined with a considerable number of batúm-trees. Crossing the stony bottom of this plain, after a stretch of three miles more they reached the western end of the oasis of Mizda, which, though Barth's fancy had given it a greater extent, filled him with joy at the sight of the fine fields of barley, now approaching maturity-the crop. owing to the regular irrigation, being remarkably uniform-while the grove of date-trees encompassed the whole picture with a striking and interesting frame.

So they proceeded, passing between the two entirely-separated quarters, or villages, distinguished as the upper, "el fók," and the lower, "el utah," and encamped on the sandy open space a little beyond the lower village, near a

well which formerly had irrigated a garden. People going to Tripoli encamp at the other end of the oasis, as was done by a caravan of Ghadamsi people with slaves from Fezzán, on the following day.

Mizda, most probably identical with the eastern" Musti kome" of Ptolemy, appears to have been an ancient settlement of the indigenous inhabitants of North Africa, the Berbers, and more particularly of a family or tribe of them called "Kuntarár," who even at present, though greatly intermixed with Arabs, have not entirely forgotten their Berber idiom. The oasis lies in the upper part of Wady Sofejín, or rather a branch of it, stretching out from SW. to NE., which has in some parts a great breadth. The natural advantage, or productive principle of the locality seems to lie in the circumstance that the humidity carried down by the Wady Sheráb is here arrested by a hill, and absorbed by the clayey soil. This hill is of a lengthened form, and consists entirely of gypsum.

Having passed many hamlets in a state of decay, and still going through a pleasant but rather arid country, they reached the oppressor's strong-hold, the "Kasr il Jebel," as it is generally called, although this part of the mountains bears the special name of Yefren.

It lies on the very edge of the steep, rocky cliffs, and affords an extensive view over the plain. But, though standing in a commanding position, it is itself commanded by a small eminence a few hundred yards eastward, where there was once a large quadrangular structure, now in ruins.

The castle, which at the time of their visit was the chief instrument in the hands of the Turks for overawing the mountaineers, contained a garrison of four hundred soldiers. It has only one bastion with three guns, at the southern corner, and was found by Mr. Overweg to be 2,150 feet above the level of the sea. The high cliffs inclosing the valley are most beautifully and regularly stratified in layers of gypsum and limestone; and a man may walk almost round the whole circumference of the ravine on the same layer of the latter stone, which has been left bare; the gypsum, of frailer texture, having been carried away by the torrents of rain which rush violently down the steep descent. From the little eminence above-mentioned, there is a commanding view over the valleys and the high plain toward the south.

Barth was anxious to visit a place called Ta-gherbúst, situated on the north side of the castle, along the slope of a ravine which runs westward into

the valley. Ta-gherbúst is said to have been a rich and important place in former times. Some of its inhabitants possessed as many as ten slaves; but at present it is a heap of ruins, with scarcely twenty-five inhabited houses. From hence, turning southward, the party descended gradually along the steep slope, while above their heads the cliffs rose in picturesque majesty, beautifully adorned by scattered date-trees, which, at every level spot, sprang forth from the rocky ground, and gave to the

THE MONUMENT

whole scene a very charming character. A fountain, which gushed out from a cavern on a little terrace at the foot of the precipice, and fed a handsome group of date-trees, was one of the most beautiful objects that can be imagined.

The Turks, two years ago, made a small path leading directly down from the castle to this fountain, which supplies them with water. After sketching this beautiful spot while the animals were watering, they followed a more gradual descent into the valley of el Ghasás, which here, with a rough level, widens to a plain, while its upper or southern part, called Wadi Rumíye, forms a very narrow and picturesque ravine. The guide said that forty-four years ago a torrent, sweeping by Zenzur, gave a red color to the sea for a great distance.

Thence they passed into the Ghurian, a rocky plateau, succeeded by a fertile region of rich, red loam, with luxuriant plantations of olive-trees, saffron, corn, etc. An extinct volcano, called Mount Tekut, stands in advance of this region to the northward, and attains an elevation of 2,800 feet. The district of Tarhona, averaging a height of 1,000 feet, rich in corn, full of Roman ruins, and inhabited by a wandering people that live in tents, finally led the way to Mesellata, a district of the same physical character, only inhabited by people with fixed habitations; and thence they returned by the coast districts to Tripoli.

At length they finally left that city. It was late in the afternoon of the 24th of March, 1850, when Overweg and Barth, seated in solemn state upon their camels, left the town with their train, preceded by the consul, Mr. Crowe, in his carriage. by Mr. Reade, and by Mr. Dickson and his family, of whom they took a hearty leave under the olive-trees near Kasr el Haeni. They then continued their route, and in a fine moonlight pitched their tent on the border of Ain Zára.

This locality takes its name from a broad swampy hollow or depression to the south, thickly overgrown with reeds and rushes. At present no one lives in it; the wells are filled up with earth, and the date-trees, cared for by nobody, are partly overwhelmed by the sand, which has accumulated in large mounds. Still it is an attractive spot, having just a little of cultivation and a little of sandy

waste. A few olive-trees spread their fresh cool shade over a green meadow, forming a very pleasant resting-place.

It was at this very spot that, in August, 1855, on his joyful return, Barth again met Mr. Reade, the viceconsul, and passed a night there.

Here they remained encamped till Friday, the 29th. In the afternoon of the 27th, Mr. Frederic Warrington, who wished to escort them for a few days, came out, accompanied by the American consul, Mr. Gaines, and brought them the satisfactory news that, on the following Friday, Mr. Richardson would move from the town, and that they should meet him at Mejenín. Barth and his countryman required eight camels for their luggage, besides the two which they rode themselves, and which were their own. Barth would have preferred having a donkey for himself, as it would have enabled him to go with ease wherever he liked; but in Tripoli there are no donkeys strong enough for such a journey, and a horse, including the carriage of barley and water for him, was too expensive for the means then placed at his disposal. He had been so fortunate as to procure an excellent Arab camel of the renowned breed of the Bú-Saef, which was his faithful companion as far as Kúkawa; and Mr. Warrington had made him a present of a handsome Ghadamsi sad

dle or basúr, with pillows and Stambuli carpet, so that he was comfortably mounted.

After leaving the olive-trees and the little palm-grove of Ain Zára, they very soon entered deep sand-hills, which sheltered them from the strong wind and after more than two hours they came upon pasture-grounds, which fur nished their camels with a variety of herbs.

The progress of an Arab caravan (where the camels march each after its own inclination, straying to the right and to the left, nipping here a straw, and there browsing on a bush) is rather slow in districts where the stubborn animal finds abundance of food. This way of proceeding is extremely tedious and fatiguing to the rider; and to obviate it, the Tawárek, the Téb, and the people in the interior, fasten all the camels one behind the other. Owing to their slow progress, the sun was almost setting when they overtook Mr. Warrington, who had pitched his tent

on

a fine pasture-ground near Bir Spaea. The last hour and a half's ride from the well Jenáwa lay along wellcultivated and flourishing corn-fields, extending along the narrow wady of Mejenín, and intermingled with a rich profusion of flowers, principally the beautiful blue "khobbés."

They passed Mount Ghurian, which