The people of the second attack are called Aghazar:  these are also Arab Tuaricks, or people living in tents.  They were joined by people from Seloufeeat, Tintaghoda, and all the neighbouring places.

The people appear to have gathered all confusedly together, headed by their chiefs and countenanced by the marabouts, to destroy the Infidels who were come to pollute their country; but, undoubtedly, the major part were excited against us by the hope of plunder.

All the inhabitants of Ghanet[11] are Maghata, or descendants of the children of the Tuaricks, Haghar and Azgher, which were born to them by their slaves.  It is these Maghata who were said to be in pursuit of us under Sidi Jafel.  There are many of the same people in the open desert, for the most part bandits, or at least inclined to that way of life.  They levy contributions on the caravans, and on the settled people when they can venture.

 [11] This is the oasis of Janet, mentioned previously.—­ED.

The valley, which embraces Seloufeeat and Tintaghoda, is said to extend, by a series of connexions, as far as Zinder,—­probably a fanciful connexion of the people.  It is a most picturesque wady, lined with black granite rocks, some rising high into castellated peaks on the south-east, with a lower range of hills on the north-west.  It is not above half a mile wide in its mean breadth; herbage does not abound over all its bed, but trees cover its surface.  The water is mostly rain water; here and there, however, springs are found.  All the water is good, and copious in supply.

If we may judge from what we have seen of the marks of late rains in these districts, and the freshness of the herbage, the rainy season is just beginning in Aheer.  There is not yet very abundant herbage, but it will soon greatly increase.

The rain continues to pour in torrents, the boundary mountains on either hand are scarcely visible, and a watery vapour prevents us from tracing the course of the valley.  We have hitherto had to struggle against mental anxieties, against fatigues, heat, drought, and thirst:  we have now to contend with rain and with floods.  Everything is becoming awfully damp, and everybody looks awfully dismal.  I can see, from the lugubrious countenances of the Kailouees and the blacks, that the rainy season is their real winter.  They go shivering about, and seem as if they were half drowned.  Our Bornou gauze-cotton tent still bears up well, however, and keeps out the rain.

I was engaged in admiring the tent, and in reflecting on the changed region into which we had entered—­a region of luxuriant vegetation and watery atmosphere—­when there was again a wild holloa of “The floods are pouring down upon us!  The wady is coming!” Our people, however, contented themselves at first with shouting, and made no preparations for the advancing flood; but in a short time they found it necessary to bestir themselves, and began to make dams and dykes,