202 GARANDURAH CANAL. 



marks the descent of the water-shed in that direc- 

 tion, to the lower level of the country around these 

 lakes. This small river, in length, not more I 

 should think than thirty miles, flows directly from 

 the east, and its wide bed constitutes a convenient 

 road to the port of Zeila. In the time of Abys- 

 sinian supremacy over all this part of Africa, the 

 communication with Gondah and the sea-coast, was 

 through the populous and fertile oasis of Owssa, 

 along the valley of the Gobard to Zeilah ; and 

 tradition still preserves, the memory of the once 

 lucrative commerce, that was carried on with the 

 then rich provinces through which the road lay. 

 I was frequently told by Ohmed Medina, that gold 

 and silks were the burdens of camels in years gone 

 by, instead of the salt and blue calico, which is the 

 only merchandise, excepting slaves, of Kafilahs at 

 the present day. 



The Hawash, in its course into Lake Abhibhad, 

 bounds the country of Owssa on the west, the north, 

 and the east, and the circuit is completed, by the 

 ascending and descending portions of the river, 

 being connected on the south, by an artificial canal 

 called Garandurah; thus completely surrounding 

 Owssa, and contributing considerably to the prover- 

 bial fertility of this Ethiopic oasis. The existence 

 of this canal, and several subordinate ones for 

 the purposes of irrigation, also accounts for the 

 representation made in early Portuguese maps, that 



