No doubt it is fashionable in Ghat land to be "out of
town" at this season of the year. Our Kailouees have determined to take
another and more direct road, avoiding Aroukeen and the Azgher Tuaricks
in its neighbourhood. Waled Shafou says, he shall fall in with us
somewhere about Falezlez; but this seems somewhat doubtful. When people
separate in the desert they must not calculate on meeting again in a
hurry. We parted about three hours from the water of Akourou, the road
to Aroukeen branching off there. He took the easterly route and we the
westerly, and we were soon out of sight. Our way still lay through
desert-hills, but with vegetation frequently. There was talk of the
small oasis of Janet to our left; and we indulged in some pastoral
reflections on the life of contemplative ease and primitive simplicity
which would be indulged in in such an out-of-the way place.
We seem to have got into some scrape with the Kailouees. Besides the
hundred dollars which Haj Ibrahim paid them to conduct us from Aheer to
Zinder, it appears he promised them some burnouses, when we have none
for them. They mentioned the subject to-day, very naturally. We must do
as well as we can. They seem civil enough; but an incident has just
occurred which has much displeased me.
It appears that when these people came to Ghat, a few weeks ago, they
left a sick slave with some shepherds among these rocks.
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