“What’s this!” cried Dr. Kirshner, as they came to a huge rock that was directly in their path.
“Some kind of an inscription, isn’t it?” inquired Bob.
“It is that!” came the excited reply. “An ancient Libyan record, perhaps of a noteworthy event that took place in this vicinity. If you will give me a few minutes I’ll copy this down. It may prove of great interest in my future study of early Sahara peoples.”
The others waited for the archæologist to transcribe the writing. It proved very difficult to read offhand, but that a full translation would eventually come to light was not in the least doubted by the other Americans. In fact they had come to regard Dr. Kirshner as a wonder among men of his profession.
At last he put the paper back in its place and made a sign to Tishmak that he was ready to continue the journey.
“Now let’s make time,” said Bob anxiously. “We ought to get over a good many more miles before time for the noon rest.”
And they did. The country had not yet become rough enough to hinder the progress of the dromedaries, even though huge boulders were strewn about. By ten o’clock they had reached the base of the Plateau of the Mouydir, a thousand-foot-high wall of solid stone.
“Tuaregs have many superstitious legends about this rock,” said Fekmah, after talking several minutes with Tishmak. “They believe evil spirits up in great caves come down and kill travelers. They too think sandstorms and whirlwinds are caused by spirits hiding up in large cracks there.”
“How interesting,” said Dr. Kirshner, getting out his small portable typewriter.
Bob and Joe had taken motion pictures along the journey, and now they saw another opportunity to film a scenic wonder.