To do this when with them would be useless for me, but when
I leave them I must then do all the work I can. Now, it would be only
accumulating on my shoulders useless labour. Besides, they will always
do this kind of thing much better than myself. The same observation
applies to the thermometer. It would be well, however, if I practised
taking observations with them. But we are all sufficiently worked, and
can assist one another but little in these matters.
The wind has been variable for the last three days,--in the evening,
generally N.E. In the afternoon it begins to move round, until it blows
from all the points of the compass. To-day we have hot wind or gusts of
wind. It has been very hot, 105 deg. Fahrenheit under the tent.
Our people suffer much from their fasting. But the Tuaricks do not fast,
and seem to look with scorn upon the Moors and blacks for doing so.
Yusuf says _he_ shall not fast when he in _en route_. A camel has broken
down on the road, and it is found necessary to kill it, to prevent its
dying. Hateetah has given out his decree for its sale. The Tuaricks are
to purchase half and we half of the carcase, at ten reals, or fifty
Tunisian piastres. Of our five reals the Germans take one and a half,
and the Sfaxee a half. This will make it lighter for me. Our people made
a regular feast of the camel's flesh, some of them sitting up and
gorging till midnight.
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