ALEEX' SHAITAN. 115 



their own fanlike foliage, and the withered branches 

 of some mimosa-trees, torn up by a temporary tor- 

 rent, and thus arrested in their progress towards the 

 Bahr Assal. Our road in this situation was along 

 its dry bed, over coarse black volcanic sand, which 

 seemed to be produced by the crumbling action of 

 atmospherical causes upon the surrounding lava 

 rocks. After following the direction of the water- 

 course for nearly an hour, we arrived at "Aleex' 

 Shaitan" (The Devil's Water), where, to my great 

 satisfaction, we halted for the day. 



I was too fatigued to take a survey of the country, 

 and sat down under a stunted mimosa-tree, over 

 which I cast my black Arab cloak, to increase the 

 shade. Garahmee and Moosa, whom I had noticed 

 walking all the day together in earnest conversa- 

 tion, now came up. and desired me with apparent 

 kindness to accompany them to a cave, situated 

 about a quarter of a mile from the camp, and 

 upon my not immediately complying Garahmee, 

 affecting to suppose I did not understand him, went 

 and brought Ohmed Mahomed, who, coming up, 

 repeated the invitation to go to a " tihebe bait" (a 

 good house), with him. I had no objection to 

 proceed, so gathering myself up with no little diffi- 

 culty, for I was very tired, we all went to another 

 den of some wild beast, where scattered bones and 

 other traces indicated its recent occupation. Ohmed 

 Mahomed creeping in, for it was much less than the 

 one at Dafarre, remarked that there was but just 



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