GEOLOGY. 



INTRODUCTION. 



While a considerable number of details relating to the 

 geology of the country traversed have been mentioned 

 in the preceding part, it is intended in the following 

 pages to give a general description of the various rock 

 systems observed. These appear to embrace the only 

 great formation hitherto recorded by travellers as occur- 

 ring in Abyssinia, with the possible exception of the 

 coal-beds said to be found in Chelga, north-west of Lake 

 Dembea, of which, however, no account hitherto pub- 

 lished appears to afford any geological information, and 

 which may possibly prove to be part of the same system 

 as the Adigrat sandstone. 



Before passing to these descriptions, a few words on 

 the labours of previous observers are necessary. The 

 geology of Abyssinia has met with far less attention 

 than its zoology, and, with the exception of Messrs. 

 Ferret and Galinier, no travellers have left any very 

 extensive record of their observations. Scattered remarks 



