194 A SPORTING TRIP THROUGH ABYSSINIA chap, xviii 



with scrubby trees, till near the water's edore these Qrave 

 place to grand spreading giants. Just over against us 

 the river lay in a great silent pool : but both above and 

 below this it whirled tumultuously down a series of 

 rapids and broken water, the roar of which reached us 

 where we stood. To the west the eye could follow the 

 great valley of the river, till in the far distance it turned 

 ao-ain towards the north, when an intervenin;.^ rido^e hid 

 it from view. Across the river in the dim haze of the 

 horizon towered Mount Agiasfatra, from whose rugged 

 sides radiated ridge upon ridge, like spokes from a hub, 

 till the Abbai meeting them cut them short and bound 

 them like a tyre within Gojam. The guide pointed out 

 the valley of the Mogga, along the sides of which wound 

 the road I was to follow to Debra Markos, the capital of 

 the province. As I said good-bye to him, I slipped into 

 his hand a little packet of dollars, and by a steep short 

 cut started after my caravan. 



