The sheik of this town, whose name was Ali, was a good-natured Tibboo, exceedingly poor, but very attentive, and always in good humour. The place was so poor that they had sometimes to wait half a day before they could get a couple of fowls, or a feed of dates or barley for their horses. They were in hourly expectation of the arrival of camels from the friends of Hateeta, for the purpose of conveying them to Ghraat; no camels, however, arrived, and they were obliged to remain, much against their inclination. On Hateeta conversing with Dr. Oudney, on the difficulty they experienced in getting away from Mourzouk, on account of the obstacles thrown in the way by the people, he said, that the dread, which they had of the Turiacks, was unfounded, and that they should soon be convinced of it. He further added, that he could by his influence alone conduct them in perfect safety to Timbuctoo, and would answer with his head. He was indignant at the feelings, which the people of Mourzouk had against the Turiacks, who, he said, pride themselves on having but one word, and performing whatever they promise.
The promised camels not having arrived, they hired two of Mahomet el Buin, and with these they proceeded on to Gorma, which they found to be a larger town than any in the wadey, but both walls and houses have the marks of time. The sheik, Mustapha Ben Ussuf, soon visited them. He was an old man, a Fezzaner. His ancestors were natives of the place, and his features might be considered as characteristic of the natives of Fezzan.
They had many accounts of inscriptions being in this place, which the people could not read. They were conducted by sheik Mustapha to examine a building, different, as he stated, from any in the country. When they arrived, they found to their satisfaction, it was a structure which had been erected by the Romans.
There were no inscriptions to be found, although they carefully turned up a number of the stones strewed about, but a few figures and letters rudely hewn out, and evidently of recent date. They imagined they could trace some resemblance to the letters of Europe, and conjectured that they had been hewn out by some European traveller at no very distant period. Their thoughts naturally went back to Horneman, but again they had no intelligence of his having been there, "In short," as Dr. Oudney says, "to confess the truth, we did not know what to make of them, till we afterwards made the discovery of the Targee writing."
This building is about twelve feet high, and eight broad. It is built of sandstone well finished, and dug from the neighbouring hills. Its interior is solid, and of small stones, cemented by mortar. It stands about three miles from Gorma, and a quarter of a mile from the foot of the mountain. It is either a tomb or an altar; those well acquainted with Roman architecture will easily determine which. The finding a structure of these people proves, without doubt, their intercourse here. It is probable they had no extensive establishment, otherwise they would have seen more remains as they went along; they passed by, and saw to the westward, the remains of ancient Gorma. It appeared to occupy a space more extensive than the present town. They were not able to learn from the old sheik, whether any antique coins were ever found, or any building similar to this in the vicinity. Was this the tract of the Romans merely into the interior, or did they come to the valley for dates?
Hateeta arrived during the night of the 18th June; their departure was, however, delayed on account of his illness. On the following morning, they struck their tents by daylight, and commenced their journey. They sent their horses home, that is, to Mourzouk, by their servant, Adam, and set out on foot. They intended mounting the camels, but the loads were so ill arranged that they dared not venture. Their course lay through groves of date trees, growing in the salt plains. These extended about four miles, and two miles further west, was a small Arab town. They halted about an hour under the shade of the date trees, waiting for the coming up of the camels. They then mounted, and in the afternoon entered the date groves of Oubari, where they halted. Hateeta joined them in the evening. They had numerous Tuarick visitors, some residents of the town, and others belonging to a kafila about to depart for the Tuarick country. They are an independent-looking race. They examine with care every thing they see, and are not scrupulous in asking for different articles, such as tobacco, powder, and flints.
The camel men not coming forward with their camels, the party took the advantage of their detention to visit the neighbouring hills. One part appeared at a distance as an artificial excavation, which, however, disappeared as they approached, and they found it to be a smooth surface, with a portion so removed as to give rise to the delusion.
In ascending this by the track of a mountain torrent, they fell in with numerous inscriptions, in characters similar to those on the Roman building. Some were evidently done centuries ago, others very recently. To the southward there was another portion of the same range. When they got to the top, they were perspiring copiously, and had to take care that the perspiration was not checked too suddenly, as a strong cool breeze was blowing on the top. Many places were cleared away for prayer, in the same manner as they had observed in places on all the roads, on which they had travelled. The form in general is an oblong square, with a small recess in one of the longer sides, looking to the rising sun, or it is semicircular, with a similar recess. On the top of a steep precipice, "God save the king" was sung with great energy and taste by Hillman.
The new moon was seen on this evening, to the great joy of all the followers of Mahomet. Muskets and pistols were discharged, and all the musicians began their labours. This sport was continued until night. A party of musicians came out to visit them, but several of them were so drunk that they could scarcely walk. The fast was kept by all with a bad grace, and scarcely one was to be seen who had not a long visage. It was even laughable to see some young men going about the streets, with long walking-sticks, leaning forward like men bent with age. As soon as the maraboot calls, not a person was to be seen in the streets; all commence, as soon as he pronounces "Allah Akber!" All pretend to keep it, and if they do not, they take care that no one shall know it; but from the wry faces and pharasaical shows, the rigidity may be called in question. None of the European party kept the fast, except for a day now and then; for all travellers, after the first day, are allowed exemption, but they have to make it up at some other time.
They were greatly amused with stories of the great powers of eating of the Tuaricks. They were told that two men have consumed three sheep at one meal, another eating a kail of bruised dates, and a corresponding quantity of milk, and another eating about a hundred loaves, about the size of an English penny loaf. They had many inquiries respecting the English females; for a notion prevailed, that they always bore more than one child at a time, and that they went longer than nine calendar months. On being told that they were the same in that respect as other women, they appeared pleased. They were also asked, how the women were kept; if they were locked up as the moorish women, or allowed to go freely abroad. The Tuarick women are allowed great liberties that way, and are not a little pleased at having such an advantage. The customs and manners of Europe, which they related to their friends, were so similar to some of theirs, that an old Targee exclaimed, in a forcible manner, "that he was sure they had the same origin as us." The Tuarick women have full round faces, black curling hair, and, from a negro mixture, inclined to be crispy; eyebrows a little arched, eyes black and large, nose plain and well formed. The dress a barracan, neatly wrapped round, with a cover of dark blue cloth for the head, sometimes coming over the lower part of the face, as in the men. They are not very fond of beads, but often have shells suspended to the ears as ear-drops.