217 



CHAPTER XIV. 



Description of the plain of Sagagahdah. — Dowaleeka Lake. — 

 Effects of mirage. — Slave Kafilah. — Write letters to Aden. — 

 Retire from camp with Lohitu. — Interview with Mahomed 

 Allee. 



The plain of Sagagahdah is of considerable extent. 

 It stretches in one straight line from the country of 

 the Issah Soumanlee, in the south-east, to Jibel 

 Obinoe, in the north-west, a distance of more than 

 thirty miles, with a uniform width of between five 

 and six miles. The sides are flat- topped parallel 

 ridges, from four to five hundred feet higji, being 

 the abrupt termination of elevated volcanic plateaus. 

 That to the north is called Dulhull, and separates 

 the plain of Sagagahdah from the one of a some- 

 what similar character, occupied by the Lake Ab- 

 hibhad. The ridge to the south is called Mahree. 

 During the season of the greatest rains, the plain 

 of Sagagahdah is a complete morass, or shallow 

 lake, collecting the waters that flow over the Dul- 

 hull and Mahree ridges. - These numerous little 

 streams seem constantly to be forming new chan- 

 nels, for but a few yards from a deeply cut and 

 apparently very convenient watercourse, the traveller 



