PHYSICAL FEATURES. xxv 
the bend of the valley there is the conical mountain formed entirely of great 
blocks of red granite like that found at Assuan, and attaining to an elevation of 
nearly 400 metres above the valley. He ascended it with great difficulty, and found 
the view of the desert magnificent. The other valleys, such as Daffetti, seemed to 
have been similar in character. This country was peopled With gazelles and ostriches 1 . 
Having cleared the denies of Wadi Daffetti, Linant de Bellefonds visited the mountain 
and valley of Beint el Fegue, the latter filled with clumps of reeds, and at intervals 
with little stunted trees, dry and black, the abundant dew that fell not being sufficient 
to counteract the effects of the burning sun. Hereabouts many wild asses occurred, 
extremely shy, and scenting man from a great distance. They were trapped by the 
Bisharin Arabs, who used their flesh as food. 
As Mount Elba, 1243 metres high, was approached the aspect of the country com- 
pletely changed : the soil became covered with very green mimosa-trees and luxuriant 
plants, and birds sang in nests of verdure — a grateful sound to Linant de Bellefonds, 
as since his departure from Assuan, where birds are nearly mute, he had only heard 
the croaking of ravens. He camped under a superb mimosa, where the borders of the 
ravine were covered with herbage, and many climbing plants hung down from the trees. 
He found Jebel Elba to be composed of granite and porphyry, and to be cut up into 
profound ravines overhung by perpendicular rocks of great height. 
The height of the five principal peaks varies from 1220 metres to close on 1600 
metres above the level of the sea ; but, a short way to the south, Jebel Soturba rises 
to 2100 metres in height. 
At the base of Mount Elba Linant de Bellefonds met with a valley so full of shrubs 
that be had to dismount from his camel. 
The mist on the mountains and on the surrounding country is sometimes very dense 
and does not clear off until noon. 
Like the generality of the mountains along the coast, Jebel Elba and the 
neighbouring mountains are separated from the sea by a maritime plain (Introd. 
PI. III.), the grazing-ground of the flocks of the Arabs. This plain at Elba, as at 
Tokar to the south, and indeed throughout its extent, wherever it is of any breadth, 
is occasionally enshrouded in clouds of fine sand and dust raised by the strong south- 
east wind, so much so that it is difficult for man and beast to breathe. 
On the level country around the mouutaius the Bisharin find gazelles, wild asses, 
and ostriches, in the valleys hares, and ibex on the mountains — the animals of prey 
being Hycena striata, the " common wolf" {% Canis anthus), the jackal (C. variegatus), 
the small fox (C. fainelicus), the " large wolf" called by the Bisharin Oselo, the name 
by which it is known to the Gallas. 
Linant de Bellefonds returned to Darawi by a north-westerly route, along which the 
1 Floyer (' Etude sur le Nord-Etbai,' 1893) mentions that one of the wadis of this region is called 
"Na'am" — that is, the Wadi of Ostriches. 
