Thus

tiful Messaouda, (the word signifying the happy) the cheik Salah, and his superb mare. were their eyes delighted by a young woman, a handsome cavalier, and a fine horse. Please God, this will be a prosperous voyage, for God always warns his servants by some presage of the fate that awaits them; but take care, "for he who puts his head into the bran will be pecked at by the fowls."

They were well disposed to follow the advice of Cheggueun, and to place in him the fullest confidence, for he was always on the alert, and at the hour of halting for the night his vigilance redoubled. At the first bivouac, as the voyagers were yielding to sleep, a loud voice cried out, "Hollo! Guards, are you asleep!" It was Cheggueun, who from the door of his tent shouted out. "We are on the watch," replied the guards, and silence was restored. An hour afterwards, the same voice and the same question awoke all again, and so on till day broke.

The caravan continued to advance. As it approached towards the south, the vigilance of Cheggueun increased, and additional precautions were taken. He rose himself frequently during the night to keep the guards on the alert, shouting

out also to any marauders who might be within hearing.

"Oh! slaves of God, hear this: he who roams around us roams around death!

"He will gain nothing, and will never return to his own people!

"If he be hungry, let him come and we will give him food!

"If he be thirsty, let him come and we will give him drink!

"If he be naked, let him come and we will clothe him!

"If he be fatigued, let him come and rest himself!

"We are travellers on our own affairs and we wish ill to nobody."

Thanks to all these precautions, the caravan arrived safely at Oued-el-Hameur, the rendezvous of robbers and adventurers. Here vigilance was more necessary than ever, and Cheggueun gave the following directions to the travellers:

"Speak in a low voice, or don't speak at all. In this place one may well say, 'Silence is gold.'

"Tie up the mouths of your camels, and when they lie down do not go near them, lest their

bleatings on seeing their masters should betray us

to an enemy.

"To night you must be content with dates. We shall make no fire; we shall not go to the water; the traces of our feet might discover us, even though spies in ambush should not see us; don't strike any light, the sparks might be seen; don't smoke, for the smoke of tobacco is smelt a great way off: there are some men who can smell it at two or three leagues distance.

"Prepare your arms and let every one watch, for what do robbers say: 'Night is the portion of the poor man when he is bold hearted.""

From halt to halt the caravan reached Guelea, seven days from Timi-Moun, one of the cities of the great oasis of Touat. Here they remained several days resting and refreshing themselves, under the shade of palm trees and in delicious gardens, where the inhabitants came every evening to enjoy the cool breeze and delightful indolence. The natives of this spot are particularly amiable and indulgent. The old men would say to those of the Spring, "Go, go, young lads, go and amuse yourselves with the young girls." Hospitality here is also universal, and just before the departure of the voyagers, Bou-Bekeur, one of the chief men

of the place, invited them all to a farewell banquet.

On asking their host to bring in his son, a child who captivated their good graces by his pretty face and vivacity; "he is fast asleep," replied Bou-Bekeur, and they urged their request no further.

The repast was abundant, and the conversation very animated. There was much talk of Christians and of war. It was boasted that their armies were as innumerable as the starlings of Autumn, that their soldiers were strung together like the beads of a necklace, and that they were shod like horses; that each of them carried a lance at the end of his firelock, and on his back a pack containing his provisions; that they all fired together as one man; that their judges were just; that their chiefs committed no exactions; and that before the Cadi, poor and rich were equal. On the other hand, the reproach against them was, that they wanted dignity; that they laughed when saluting a friend; that they entered the mosques without taking off their shoes; that they were not religious; that they gave their wives too much liberty; and that they drank wine, ate swine's flesh, and embraced their dogs.

The next day, at day-break, when about to quit their host, he thus addressed them: "When I told you yesterday that my son was fast asleep, he had just fallen from a terrace when playing with his mother, and was dead. willed it; may he rest in peace.

God has so In order not to

disturb our festivity and your enjoyment, I suppressed my grief, and imposed silence on my wife by menacing her with a divorce; you have not seen her tears. But do me this favour, attend this morning the funeral of my son, and join your prayers to mine for the repose of his soul." All went of course to the burial of the poor child.

Such is the law of hospitality. A host must banish from his house all grief, all care, every quarrel, every idea of unhappiness, whilst his guests are with him. The prophet, whose words these are, adds:-"Be generous towards your host, for he comes to you with his own property; on entering he brings you a benediction; on leaving he carries away your sins."

From Guelea, the caravan proceeded to the marabout of Sidi-Mohamed-ou-Allal, built in the midst of the date groves which Sidi-Mohamed had planted himself. It was this marabout who said to his followers: "Despise this earth, which is not