CHARACTER OF THE ROAD. 137 



we continued our journey over the moor-like 

 solitary fields that, unbroken by hedge, stone fence, 

 or ditch, appeared in endless succession before us. 

 But the reader must understand that, although the 

 general appearance of the country is so fiat, he is 

 only reminded of it by the long level lines 

 that bound the view on each side, for, generally 

 speaking, the road lies in broad shallow water-worn 

 channels, which, like hollow ways with banks ten or 

 twelve feet high, have intersected in all directions 

 this formerly undeviating level country. I always 

 fancied that at one time it must have been the bottom 

 of a deeply rolling sea, and what adds considerably 

 to this impression is, the almost total absence of trees, 

 and the bald, gray, stony, appearance of the stratum 

 of light coloured porphyritic trachyte which over- 

 lies the whole country, and which looks as if it had 

 only been raised from the waters a short time 

 before. This super stratum of rock is very easily de- 

 composed, and forms a fertile soil for the cultivation 

 of wheat and barley, but its general appearance, 

 unless covered w r ith the crops, is quite the reverse. 

 About half way to Angolalah we crossed two or 

 three of the earlier tributaries of the Barissa, which 

 is a small river that collects the waters falling to 

 the west of Tchakkah, and conducts them to the 

 Abi or Nile of Bruce. All streams to the east 

 of Tchakkah descend precipitously to join the 

 Hawash. The Barissa derives its name from having 

 been, previous to the reign of the present Xegoos, the 



