OTHER TRAVELLERS. 203 



the Hawash does not reach the sea, but is diverted 

 from its course, by numerous canals made by the 

 natives. 



Having obtained some idea of the geographical 

 bearings of the water- sheds of the Hawash, by 

 learning the directions of the various streams which 

 flow towards the centre of its peculiar system, the 

 lakes in sight of the encampment, I endeavoured 

 to decide our relative position with regard to the 

 halting-places of previous travellers, as it was only 

 by subsequent comparison with their observations, 

 more particularly with those of Lieut. Barker and 

 Dr. Kirk, who surveyed the road taken by the 

 British Political Mission on its way to Shoa the 

 preceding year, that I could determine the exact 

 situation of the lake, for from circumstances, I 

 was unable to make any meridional observations 

 myself. From what I could then learn, the 

 enterprising and zealous agents of the Church 

 Missionary Society, the Rev. Messrs. Isenberg 

 and Krapf; the French traveller M. Rochet de 

 Hericourt, Dr. Beke, and the British Mission, had 

 all taken a route, one short day's journey farther to 

 the east than mine. On the return from Shoa, of 

 Mr. Isenberg, in 1840, that gentleman may have 

 been brought to my halting-place in the Gobard ; 

 for in his notes I believe is contained the obser- 

 vation, that on that occasion he took a road much 

 nearer to the lakes than on his previous journey. 

 The reverse of this occurred to me when I returned 



