This course in Berber writing, after the emotions through which we had
just passed, seemed to me a little inopportune. But Morhange was so
visibly delighted that I could not dash his joy.

"Very well then," began my companion, as much at his, ease as if he had
been before a blackboard, "what will strike you first about this
inscription is its repetition in the form of a cross. That is to say
that it contains the same word twice, top to bottom, and right to left.
The word which it composes has seven letters so the fourth letter, W
[Transcriber's Note: Rotated 90 deg. counter-clockwise], comes naturally
in the middle. This arrangement which is unique in Tifinar writing, is
already remarkable enough. But there is better still. Now we will read
it."

Getting it wrong three times out of seven I finally succeeded, with
Morhange's help, in spelling the word.

"Have you got it?" asked Morhange when I had finished my task.

"Less than ever," I answered, a little put out;
"a,n,t,i,n,h,a,--Antinha, I don't know that word, or anything like it,
in all the Saharan dialects I am familiar with."

Morhange rubbed his hands together. His satisfaction was without
bounds.

"You have said it. That is why the discovery is unique."

"Why?"