kissowi. 105 



■«rater used at Massowa is brought, and where most of 

 the Indian and Arab merchants have houses and live 

 diiring the hot months, going to Massowa in the day 

 only. 



The spur of land opposite Massowa, and the island 

 itself; consist of the coral rock of which so many of the 

 islands in this part of the Eed Sea are composed. It is 

 formed by the agglutination of broken corals; shells, el-nd 

 coral sand. After leaving the shore a flat alluvial plain 

 is traversed as far as Makullu. Here hills formed of 

 volcanic rocks appear, similar to those near ZuUa. 



At Makullu we took leave for the time of Mr. Mun- 

 zinger, who was obliged to remain in Massowa for some 

 days, in order to make arrangements for the care of the 

 transport animals left in his charge. We started early 

 the next morning, and marched about twelve miles due 

 west to Saati, through low hills of volcanic and sedi- 

 mentary rocks intermixed, all apparently belonging to 

 the same group, and having a general dip to the east. 

 Basaltic lava predominates. The ground is mostly 

 rather barren, stunted mimosa bushes of the most thorny 

 description being almost the only vegetation. 



At Saati there is a spring of water, and we halted 

 here for the night. I was rather unweU, having been 

 knocked up by the heat of Massowa, and lame from 

 some unknown cause, so I could not go out. In the 

 evening towards dusk thousands of sand-grouse assem- 

 bled at the water to drink, coming from all quarters. 

 All appeared to be of one kind, Pterocles Lichtensteini, 

 which is common throughout this part of the country. 



