ASHANOI. 77 



on the eastern side of the dividing range at this elevation 

 being probably damper than on the west. 



At the crest of the pass we came in sight of the lovely- 

 little Lake of Ashangi. From the same spot there is an 

 extensive view to the eastward over the country of the 

 Asnbo GaUas. The foreground consists of finely-wooded 

 hUls, all apparently of inclined beds of trap. Beyond, at 

 a distance of twelve or fifteen miles, there is a broad 

 vaUey, probably 2,500 or 3,000 feet below the pass, 

 or about 6,000 feet above the sea. Beyond this, again, 

 are other rounded hiUs, which look as if more thinly 

 wooded. They may perhaps be metamorphic. From the 

 summit of the pass the road descends rapidly to the beau- 

 tiful Ashangi vaUey, over beds of amygdaloidal basalt. 



I only halted for a night at Ashangi, and as I passed 

 some days here on my return from Magdala, I abstain 

 from description of it for the present. 



At Ashangi I heard that the army was close to 

 Magdala, and might return at any moment ; also that 

 the fortress was much farther than we had hitherto 

 believed. Although I had but little faith in any imme- 

 diate return, stiU, as I found I could only push on by 

 leaving aU impedimenta behind, 1 left at Ashangi my 

 last collector and my tent, and went on with only 

 my horses and one mule to carry provisions ; for the 

 commissariat stations here were often three or four 

 marches from each other, and no food, except for the 

 animals, could be obtained at the intermediate stages. 

 I then started, still with the mule convoy, and made 

 a double march to Lat, 



