28o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



As foon as we found tlic villages deferted, and that tliere 

 were no hopes of. a fuppiy of bread, we ftruck our tent, and 

 proceeded on our journey ; the pointed mountain Gutchbore 

 north from our tent, at the difiance of about two miles. 



On the 29th, at ten in the forenoon, .we left the inhof- 

 pitable villages of Ginibaar, not without entertaining fome 

 apprehenfions of meeting the inhabitants again in the 

 courfe of the day. But though we took every precaution 

 againft being furprifed, that prudence could didlate, our 

 fears of the encounter did not rife to any great heiglit. I 

 got, indeed, on horfeback, leaving my mule ; and, putting 

 on my coat of mail, leaving tiie jfire-arms under the com- 

 mand of Kagi Ifmael, the old Turk, I rode alv/ays about 

 a quarter of a mile before the baggage, that they might 

 not come fuddenly upon us, as they had done the night 

 before. 



In a few minutes we pafTed three fmall clear ftreams in a ve- 

 ry fertile country; the foil was a black loomy earth; the grafs 

 already parched, or rather entirely burnt up by the fun. 

 Though this country is finely watered, and mul^ be very 

 fertile, yet it is thinly inhabited, and, as we were informed, 

 very unv/holefome. At three quarters pad ten we came 

 to the river Mahaanah, which fwallows up thefe three 

 brooks, its courfe nearly N. W. it was (even at this dry fea- 

 fon of the year) a confidei-able ftream. 



Hers wc refted half an hour, and then purfued our 



journey ftraight north. We pafTed a large and deep valley 



called Werk Meidan, or the country of gold, though there 



is no gold in it. It is full of wood and bufhes. We had 



I left 



