A MOUNTAIN REGION. 295 



right , approaching nearer and nearer to one another. When 

 crossing the hills, a number of mountains and mountain groups 

 were visible, lying partly in the unknown countries to the east 

 of Latiika, partly in the north-east of the Shiili district. Thus, 

 from the heights of Jebel Khofir, which we climbed over to 

 reach the other side of the valley, the lofty Toe, in the Har- 

 rogo district, came into sight, and among the distant Xrenga 

 mountains we saw the dome- shaped Baya and the Zummo Peak, 

 which last is certainly higher than all the rest. Jebel Sereten, 

 which, seen from Tarangole, seemed to shut in the defile, now 

 lay beside us, and we spent the night at Khor Koz, which we 

 had not seen for some time, as it had flowed at some distance 

 from our road. As soon as we had crossed the khor the road 

 took a westerly direction. The soil here is a hard red clay, 

 containing masses of quartz fragments, often of a beautiful 

 milky white colour, which are used by the Shiili in the manu- 

 facture of the little cones which are worn by men and women 

 in the under-lip. Jebel Sereten forms the boundary of Latiika 

 on the Shiili side. 



A number of small rivulets and some large torrent-beds 

 intersect the country. The vegetation during the first part 

 of the route consisted of dense acacia bush, and farther on of 

 open bush, such as is found on steppes. A quantity of Calo- 

 tropis and three varieties of euphorbia were thriving well on 

 sandy spots. Khor Okorra, a true mountain stream, rushes 

 down from the adjacent Halanga chain, and in a deep gorge, 

 which keeps its water icy cold, sweeps round the foot of the 

 high hill of Kela, which is covered with Shiili villages, and 

 where the little station of Agaru is situated. The high posi- 

 tion of this station (3700 feet), its cold water, and moderate 

 temperature, render it the healthiest and most pleasant place 

 of abode in this country ; its surrounding mountains and hills 

 also make it very picturesque. 



From Agaru to Fadibek was a hard day's march of eleven 

 hours fifty-five minutes. We passed by the Langia range, 

 then -crossed Khor Arenga, with its beautiful " gallery " 

 wood, and reached Jebel Lamo, or, as it is usually called, 

 Falogga. We were now in country traversed last year, when I 

 marked on my map the mountains, such as Lamo, Lalak, and 



