vans.

tracts which are covered with loose sand, whirlwinds often blow with great violence, and raise large quantities of sand to a considerable height, carrying it to some distance. Sandpillars have buried many caraThe inhabitants, too, of the desert are always ready to attack a stranger, to rob him of his goods, and to make a slave of him. Notwithstanding all these dangers, the Sahara is every year crossed by several caravans, which carry on the commerce between the interior and the countries on the shores of the Mediterranean.

In one direction, however, there is a route through the Sahara in which these dangers are comparatively small.

This

owes its advantages partly to its climate, and partly to its soil, and also to the smaller extent of the sandy districts, and the continuous broken ridges of rocks. In a few places on this road the mimosa tree is found. The town of Bilma, which is on this route, is noted for its salt-pits, and in its vicinity there are some spots covered with vegetation. South of Bilma, the road is over loose hills of sand, in which the camels sink knee-deep. The hills sometimes disappear in a

single night by the drifting of the sand, and all traces of the passage of a caravan vanish in a few hours. Wells are rare. After four days' travelling from Bilma, wells are met with, and after four days more, some others, situated in a wooded valley, though not inhabited. After three days more, the country is reached to which the tropical rains extend, the soil improves, and vegetation is more frequent. At last trees appear, and then increase in number, until the desert ceases, and nature resumes its usual aspect.

The eastern part of the Sahara is called the Libyan desert. In this are a considerable number of oases, or fertile tracts, which support a moderate population. Nearly all of them contain extensive groves of date-trees.

The Sahel, or western division, is by far the worst part of the Sahara. It does not appear that in this vast extent of territory a single oasis occurs, the soil of which is fit for agriculture, or for the growth of date-trees. It seems, however, that there must be numerous spots, though probably of small extent, which are suitable for pasture; for the number of

ence in this region is far from small, and their only resources are their herds. It is stated that the caravan road is purposely formed through the worst part of the desolate waste. This is because the merchants are less afraid of the dangers of the country, than of the inhabitants through whose territory they would otherwise pass. Each roving tribe is eager to enrich itself by plundering the caravans, or by imposing a heavy tax for their passage.

One of the few European travellers who have traversed the Sahara, says that a large pillar of sand, agitated by a whirlwind, crossed the camp in which he was. "It overset all the tents, and whirling us about like straws, threw one of us on the other in the utmost confusion. We knew not where we were, and could not distinguish anything at the distance of a foot. The sand wrapped us in darkness like a fog, and heaven and earth seemed confounded and blended in one. Whilst this frightful tempest lasted, we remained stretched on the ground, motionless, dying of thirst, burned by the heat of the soil, and buffeted

nothing, however, from the sun, which, almost concealed by the cloud of sand, appeared dim and deprived of its rays."

The most useful domestic animal found in the Sahara is the camel, without which these boundless plains of sand and gravel and rock could not be passed over. Next to the camel is the goat, which is very abundant in the Sahel, as its dry pastures are better suited for it than for sheep. But sheep are also common. There are black cattle, of a small kind, in places where the pasture is good. Horses are rare in the western part of the Sahara, but are more numerous farther east. There are lions, and panthers, and some other, smaller, wild animals. Gazelles are frequent where shrubs and bushes are found, and in a few places antelopes are met with. Vultures and ravens are the only birds that inhabit the rocky deserts.

THE DERVISE AND THE ROBBER.

EN-ACHMET, the Dervise, was a very pious and liberal man, who lived a life of hardship and devotion in a lonely desert. In seasons of drought he supplied the traveller with water from his little well; in times of pestilence he left his solitary abode to attend the sick, and comfort the dying, in the villages that were scattered around; and often did

he stanch the blood of the wounded Arab, and heal him of his wounds.

Akaba was an Arabian robber. He had a band of lawless men under his command ready to do his bidding, large numbers of slaves, and a treasure-house well stored with his ill-gotten wealth. The sanctity of BenAchmet arrested his attention; his conscience smote him on account of his guilt, and he longed to be as famed for his devotion as he had been for his crimes. He sought the abode

BEGIN RIGHT.

OUR men had occasion to go from Leeds, to attend the assizes at York, respecting some trials in which they were nearly interested. Of these four, one overslept himself, lost his train, and did not get into court till after his case was disposed of. The second got into what he supposed, from want of inquiry, was the York train, and was some way on the road to London before he found out his mistake. The third reached York in time, but found he had carelessly left behind him papers which were as essential as his personal presence. The fourth was both diligent and careful, and assisted to win the cause he went to support. The first three began wrong, and all their efforts to right themselves were vain.

Begin well, and you are far on your way to success.