ROUTE TO TIMBUCTOO. 7 of this water you meet with a light sand. Sometimes the water is sweetish, frequently brackish, and generally warm. This last desert is about twenty days' journey, and is a vast plain without any mountains. They meet with no Arabs in this part, but the country on the right and left of their route, at the distance of from three to eight days' journey, is inhabited by Arabs, who are governed by their own (sheiks) chiefs, and are perfectly independent.

From Akka to Timbuctoo, a journey of fortythree days, they meet with no trees,' except the sederah, no rivers, towns, or huts. From Draha, which is a country abounding in camels, to Timbuctoo, the charge per camel is from sixteen to twenty-one ducats. ' That so long a journey is performed at so small ' an expense, is owing to the abundance of camels in Draha. The caravan generally contains from 300 to 400 men, of whom a great part prefer walking to the uneasy motion of the camels.

' From Fas to Tafilelt, 20 days, for 11 ducats per camel.

Tafilelt to Draha, 6 do. 6 do. do. Draha to Timbuctoo, 4<3 do. 18| do. do.

69 days, for 35 1 ducats per camel load, which is about the rate of one farthing per quintal per nyle. This does not include the expense of camels for the conveyance of merchants, servants, &c. or of provisions or water, but merely of those carrying goods. A full account of these caravans, and their mode of crossing the Sahara, will be found in Jackson's Marocco, ch. 13.

• The expense is now (A. C. 1818) smaller, as the ducat, by a coinage which is depreciated, has fallen to 3s. 6d» terling.

B 4