Polynesian., 1853-02-26

blue waters. This may have taken plac
long before the disappearing of the great is
land OF Atlanta,-or Atlantic island-re
j peatedly chronicled by the ancients, bu
sought for in vain by the moderns. An
this sea-like appearance is more visible afte
you leave the great oasis and pass on to tn
extreme western boundary. The waves Q
sand are brighter and more widely scattered
And the Arabs who constantly pass over it
surface, have named it, Bahar 6illa maia--o
the Great Dry Sea. But must bring to
close my geological speculations.
The traveller does not find any good speci
mems of true life on the desert until he i
several days travel from Cairo Watchin.
the setting sun; dismounting from his camel
feeling as if every particle of the natura
moisture of his body were dried up from tn.
days ride overthe sand; sitting down to tax,
notes, or enjoypipes and coffee; then the even
ing repast served up in excellent style by hi.
Arab cook; and at last betaking himself tc
his mattrass for repose, amid the solemn ant
not Improbable prayers the Arabs offer tc
the prophet, and ALLAH:-all these and
many other things, admonish him that he is
at last on the far-famed Zahara. The night
to which l refer, was gloomy one to myself
The associations of the past closely crowded
on my mind. The friends of my youth, my
quiet home, and the uncertain and impene-
trable future, came fitting around me. And
here / was, amid an Arab crew-my life in
their hands. What if should be sick on
this dreary waste; with no female hand to
bestow its christian attentions; no refined
sympathies to hover, around me! thought
on it until fancied was getting sick enough
The Arabs were around me, their sonorous
breashings assuring me they were intent only
on sleep. awoke one of them and request
ed him to provide me with water 1t was in
he walked up all the others, and they began
to implore the prophet and his blessed wives
in paradise, and at length, ALLAH himself, to
spare my life; while the Egyptian interpreted
their euphonic Arabic into excellent English
This sudden invocation somewhat surprised
me. And my surprise and merriment were
increased by the hasty and solemn assurance
of the most intelligent Arab of my little car
avan, that should not be sick; for ALLAH
had willed otherwise. "God, !" said he, "will
certainly spare your life-if it be but for the
sake ofpaying as our wages for accompanying
youp' This sounded so much like human
logic, that, by endeavoring to exercise the
same lucrative faith, soon forgot my fears
in the calm influence of sleep.
There are many Oases scattered over the
desert. None but the principal ones are set
down on the map. To meet these welcome
spots" green spots,' indeed!--you take
your course varying sometimes to the north
IN fho opI ,l
most every oasis is found good grass for the
camels, and cooling water. On very many
of them are splendid clumps of palm trees;
their waving branches affording welcome
retreat from the hot sun, and their fruit a re-
past for the craving appetite. On some of
the larger of these lovely gardens of the
desert, are large towns and villages, consti-
tuting interesting though small republics,
whose chiefs or rulers are annually elected
by the people; and their order and justice in
the administration of civil jurisprudence, are
worthy of the chief nations of this age
That of Fezzan is.an illustrious specimen of
internal administration by these descendants
of Ishmael.
but little can be said. One day when mid
way, between the GA sis of Anon and that of
Fezzen, we saw splendid mirage. And it
made its appearance at time, too, when
our supply of water was very nearly exhaust
ed. 1t looked precisely like calm lake
several miles in extent, and rejecting, in its
placid bosom, palm trees, groves of other
foliage, and lofty and massive piles of archi-
lecture So perfect was the illusion, that we
hailed it with delight and ndredoubledour speed
so as to procure the delicious refreshment of
cold water But, what was our surprise to
find we could not reach it. The faster We
travelled, the faster it seemed to recede from
u.s. At length arriving at depression in
he sands where we first discovered it, the !
phenomenon disappeared. Our
oy was changed into sorrow; our hopes into
despair. And the circumstance reminded
ne of the tortured Tantalus, described, by
ancient poets, as existing in the regions of
Pluto; cup of water was held by an unseen
hand almost close to his lips. He tried to
sip the cooling draught-but in vain; for it
was his intolerable anguish to see the pre-
,ious boon for ever elude his grasp. But
We afterwards shared a better fate; towards
hight, cluster of Palm trees reared their
on the horizon we left our track,
and went to them; where we found beauti- |
ul oasis covering about fifteen acres in the
midst of which was spring of water. On
he desert of Zahara, water Is irater in every
sense Of the word 1t restores the sinking
soul, revives exhausted nature, and causes
oy to beam forth from every eye. Onthese
7ast solitudes, when water is exhausted, a
nan would give the world, if he had it, for /
,ingle drauobt of the Drecious heveraue IL
In the time of Leo Africanus, there was
standing not far from Fezzan, a monument
the deplorable fate of a mer-
;hant and his driver; the former paid the
after an amount of gold for his last drink of
water. And if the immense caravans pass-l
ng and repassing from the principal points,