TAJURAH— OBOK— ASSAB. 



209 



36 miles from Bab-el-Mundcb, north of a long littoral indentation. Numerous 

 islets scattered at the entrance of the harbour shut out the sea, excejiting to the 

 north-east, and are continued by reefs which the sand, mud, seaweed and coral are 

 gradually causing to encroach on the bay, so that these islands must sooner or 

 later become a peninsula of the mainland. The well-protected port, situated on 



Fiç. 71. — AssAB. 

 Scale 1 : 280,000. 



Depths. 



to 32 

 Feel. 



:,2 to 64 



reet. 



64 to «30 

 Feet. 



80 Foet 

 and upwards. 



6 Miles. 



the beach of Bou'ia, about half a mile south of Assab, affords anchorage to the 

 largest vessels within 500 feet of the coast. The territory of Assab is a shifting 

 dune or hard rock nearly destitute of vegetation. Near the neighbouring village 

 of Margahleh are a few pools of water fringed with verdure ; here and there the 

 Afar huts are shaded by some clumps of palms, while along the intei-mittent 

 streams the brushwood is matted together by a network of creeping plants. The 



14— AF 



