They Set Out From Mourzouk Along With The Caravan; The Party
Consisted Of 210 Arabs, Commanded By Their Respective Chiefs, Who Cheered
The Monotony Of The Way By Tales And Songs.
The road lay along a sandy
uneven soil highly impregnated with salt, the track being worn down by
the footsteps of caravans.
In these dreary regions no sound either of
insect or of bird was heard. After they left Mourzouk, the eye was
relieved at great distances, by the sight of small towns, situated in the
oases, or watered valleys, the lofty palm-trees of which served to guide
them. But these became gradually fewer, and after leaving Bilma, they
travelled for thirteen days without coming to any resting-place. During
the day the sun beat intensely upon them; but the nights were still and
beautiful. Cool and refreshing breezes played around the encampment, and
the moon and stars shone with great brilliancy. A soft couch was found by
removing the - sand to the depth of a few inches.
Soon after the desert presented horrors of a peculiar kind. The ground
was strewed with skeletons, sometimes fifty or sixty together. Fragments
of flesh and hair were still upon some of them. They were slaves whom
their conquerors had abandoned on finding their provisions run short. Two
female skeletons were found twined together, - they had expired in each
other's arms. One day Major Denham was roused from a reverie, by the
sound caused by a skeleton crackling under his horses hoofs.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 473 of 546
Words from 128415 to 128665
of 148366
