and many dates); Doumous, one day west; Agharghar, two days west; Oud[)a]ras, two days south-south-west (place for shepherds); Abasas, two days south (a place for shepherds); Tabernee (a well), two days south; Shouw[)a]r[=e]k[)e]d[=e], or Touwerkedad (on the side of Tabernee), one day south; Maree, one day south (place for shepherds); Ar[)a]s[=a]mad[)a]n, by the side of Maree, south (well); Shintaghalee, in Wady Tentaghemea, near the above, south; Azanwazgh[)e]r, near the above, south; Zanairas,[16] two days north-east.

 [16] Zanairas is the native place of Ferajee and Deedee, where
      Lousou exercises authority.  This list is still very
      imperfect.  It is difficult to find a man who will give
      correct and full information.  As will be seen, my informant
      gave me wadys and sheep-walks for towns, in many cases. [At
      the end of the volume will be found more complete
      information on the positions of places in Aheer,
      subsequently obtained by Mr. Richardson.—­ED.]

It would have been very interesting to collect authentic information as to the population of many places in Aheer.  I suspect the number of inhabitants is very small indeed.  I had already been powerfully impressed with the paucity of the population of the districts of Ghat, the desert region occupied by the Azgher, and had been led to compute that they cannot contain in all more than a couple of thousand people.

CHAPTER XVII.

Zinder Caravan—­Negress playing “Boree”—­Curious Scene—­Objects of Barter—­Fresh Annoyances—­Remarks on our Reception in Aheer—­En-Noor—­Asoudee—­Better News—­Fresh Extortions—­En-Noor disappoints us—­Europeans taken for Spies—­Things in demand at Aheer—­Exercise—­Overweg’s Patients—­Wild Animals in Aheer—­Kailouees in dry Weather—­Robbing a Prince—­Ghaseb and Ghafouley—­Aheer Cheese—­Mokhlah Bou Yeldee—­Our Wealth noised abroad—­Alarm at Night—­A fresh Attack—­Said’s Gallantry—­Disorderly Protectors—­Thirteen Robbers—­Amankee—­Loss of my Tea—­Country of Thieves.

10th Sept. continued.—­Yusuf has been to the town, but has come back without any authentic news of the departure of the caravans for Zinder.  He says, however, that En-Noor is better; and that it is reported that the first caravan will go in fifteen or twenty days, and the second and largest, with which En-Noor himself talks of setting out, about twenty days afterwards.

I was disturbed this evening from my repose on the dry sand under the pale moonlight by the most unearthly noises, coming from a group of our black servants.  On getting up to see what it was, I found that one of our negresses, a wife of one of the servants, was performing Boree, the “Devil,” and working herself up into the belief that his Satanic majesty had possession of her.  She threw herself upon the ground in all directions, and imitated the