200 CAUSE OF GREAT CONTENTION. 



occasioned by long-continued droughts, the tribes 

 occupying less favoured spots are compelled, to 

 resort here, where they fight most desperately, 

 for the required relief of food and water for 

 their cattle. I could, therefore, well under- 

 stand, that the ever-verdant shores of these 

 lakes, must be one continued scene of contention. 

 On the occasion of our visit to their neighbourhood, 

 I found that the Galayla Muditu tribe were in 

 possession, and at war, of course, with every other. 

 This rendered the appearance of a few individuals 

 amongst them particularly unsafe, as they killed 

 all such intruders when discovered; and of a 

 number quite impossible, as their approach 

 would occasion an immediate alarm throughout the 

 whole country. Under these circumstances it was 

 deemed our wisest course to let the sleeping wild 

 beast alone, and not rouse an excitement that 

 might end in the destruction of the Kanlah. 



Every object of science, however, was effected, 

 except the testing and analysis of the waters of 

 the lakes, for the depression which the largest 

 occupies in the level table-land surrounding, was 

 plainly visible through the wide gorge cut by the 

 entrance of the river of Gobard into it. Our 

 halting-place was actually upon a portion of the 

 bottom, of what I considered at some periods of 

 the year, to form part of the then flooded lake, the 

 soil consisting of a light brown friable marl, in 

 which wore embedded vast numbers of a spiral 



