It is nearly east and west; in the west end inclining more southerly. The mountains of Lowdeah form the north boundary, but it is plain on all sides on the south and south-west, and extends with some very considerable interruptions far into the Sahara. Anciently it was of consequence, much larger, and gave just reason for the account of a number or succession of lakes, which Dr. Shaw thinks impossible, from intervention of mountains, erroneously (sic).
M. Charles Tissot, in a notice about to be published in the ‘Bulletin de la Société de Géographie,’ and quoted by M. Roudaire in his report,[261] thus describes the Chott el-Djerid: ‘The vast and profound depression of the Chott el-Djerid is now to a great extent filled up with recent deposits of sand. The central portion of the basin appears, however, to contain a considerable mass of water covered with a saline crust, which has caused the Arab geographers to compare it, now to a carpet of camphor or crystal, and again to a sheet of silver, or a mass of metal in fusion. The thickness of this crust is very variable, and it is only at certain places that it is sufficiently solid to admit of travellers trusting themselves to it. The moment that they quit those passages the crust gives way, and the abyss swallows up its prey. Even these passages are very dangerous in the rainy season, when the water covers the saline crust and decreases its thickness.’
M. Tissot did not observe the trunks of palm trees set up to mark the path, so often alluded to by Bruce and other old writers; his guide informed him that they had been carried away by the heavy rains, and had never been replaced. A few stones had, however, been placed on the surface at intervals of five or six hundred yards, which, though actually small, were magnified by the mirage, and could be seen at a considerable distance.
About the middle is a circular platform, two or three feet above the level of the Sebkha, to which the names El-Mensof (the Middle), Bir en-Noosf (Well of the Middle), or Hadjarat en-Noosf (the Middle Stone), are given; it is also called Djebel el-Melah (the Mountain of Salt). Here the caravans usually pass the night, if they are not sure of reaching the opposite shore before dark.
There are 102 villages of dates here in Nefzowa,[262] but much inferior to those of Tozer. The fruit is chiefly sent to Europe. The eastern of these are called the Ghaara, inhabited by the Noile and many others. The panther, or faadh, and the fennick are natives of this district.
To the southward, Fatnassa is a small, mud-walled town. Telemeen is the largest of this district; it has a small fort with a cayd, and the town a sheikh. The fort is in a wood of date trees; it is of stone, very small, with fifty Moorish foot, or Zowawa, for a garrison. Few medals.
Arrived here the 4th; staid the 5th; the 6th, set out for Ebilla,[263] arrived there at noon, being but 6 miles.
The 7th, went hunting to Ghaara, five miles southwards; killed three wild boars with the lance.
The 8th, hunted likewise; killed one. At night, the house attacked by banditti, and we were near assassinated; my horse wounded.
The 10th, we passed the camp of the Henneishah at the foot of the mountains, to the north near the Thibkah,[264] and about 7 miles to the eastward that of the Welled Yagoube, who that day were in motion, and encamped at Nisse y-deep.[265] The next morning they fell upon and robbed the caravan going from Biscara to Mecca.