ARDUOUS EXPLORATION 



miles long by two broad, but its size may be increased 

 during the rainy season. Underfoot, in both the 

 second and third swamps, the ground was very soft 

 and saturated, and in February, when I visited them, 

 there were about 6 inches of surface water. In a 

 still further attenuated form the stream emerores once 

 more and flows eastwards for eleven miles throuofh flat 

 alluvial plains, gradually diminishing in size until 

 permanent water ends in a series of shallow pools 

 surrounded by trees and bush, and this spot is called 

 Madoleh. In exceptional years of rain, water may 

 be found farther east, but the Somali and Borana I 

 met assured me that a traveller could always depend 

 on getting water at Madoleh, if not on the surface, 

 at any rate only a few inches below, and it is towards 

 this place that they always direct their steps when 

 travelling across the thorn-covered desert that lies 

 between the Tana and Lorian. 



Having' indicated the main features of the Lorian 

 district, I will continue the narrative of my journey. 

 As I mentioned above, I remained four days investi- 

 gating the country between Melka Waja and Arro 

 Dima. The small swamp, near which I camped at 

 first, was very interesting to me, but the work of 

 exploring it proved extremely arduous. Once the 

 coarse grass was entered, progress was terribly trying. 

 At every step thousands of mosquitoes and biting 

 insects of every kind were roused, while I sank 

 continually to my knees in the soft clinging mud. 

 Time and time again I stumbled over tangled roots, 

 and it was only after persistent efforts that I reached 

 the river bank. 



As I was following it westwards, I came upon a 

 little island of solid ground about 200 yards from the 



208 



