WILD GRAPES. 249 



and, upon an open stretch of land just beyond it, I was able at 

 last to take the compass bearings necessary to complete my 

 observations made on the Abayo, the country to the south 

 alone being veiled by clouds. A grand panorama was visible 

 — the Agaru group, the solitary forms of Lalak, Lamo, and 

 Aggu, the svenitic dome of Abava, which we had passed on 

 the road, and even the distant Sereten. All the groups of the 

 north-east Shuli district, as far as the Kuron and Kiteng, in- 

 cluding the very striking three-pinnacled Akkara group (.Jebel 

 Pale) ; in front of us, the imposing masses of Ogilli, Painiol, 

 and Mora, between which appeared the pointed Farabongo ; 

 and finallv, the errand masses of Okaga — a far more magnificent 

 scene than that presented by the eastern mountains, because 

 the outlines are more jagged and bold than the rounded 

 summits of the more northern ranges. 



The Languello hill, which we next climbed, rises from a 

 sort of plateau, and on its summit we found large reservoirs 

 of water, in which small flocks of widow-ducks {JDcndrocygna 

 viduata) were sporting. My men ate freely of the fruit of 

 the wild vine, growing all round ; its ripe black grapes are 

 not juicy, but very pleasant. A fine sycamore and a soli- 

 tary doleb palm beside it form a prominent landmark, visible 

 for a long distance in this scantilv wooded countrv ; thev an- 

 nounced to us the proximity of our camping-ground, under a 

 stunted tamarind, beside Khor Dore. This spot had been chosen 

 because of the abundance of water and of bamboos, which sup- 

 plied good material for hutbuilding. The latter part of the 

 savannah is crossed by broad hollows overgrown with rushes ; 

 these hollows are probably swamps in the rainy season. Then 

 followed open wood with groves of Amomum, until, after a good 

 three hours' march, we reached newly tilled land, and ascended 

 a good road on clayey soil, through a fine forest to the Leruama 

 hill ; then, through the corn-fields which surrounded the little 

 village of Tingtum, we reached the village of Lira, situated on 

 the ridge of the hill. 



After a short rest here, we proceeded to Jebel Uyugu, where 

 the cultivated land is surrounded by fine forests with large dark 

 masses of foliage, a rare sight in the Shuli countrv. A number 

 of barked trees showed that the inhabitants kept bees, for 



