ESCAPE OF A SNAKE. 257 



perceive the abrupt termination of the flat topped 

 lava ridges, about the river of Killaloo ; whilst to 

 the south-west was the valley of Gaiel, through 

 which flowed the waters of Errur on to Killaloo. 

 To the west the plain extended to the Hawash, 

 near to which were two hills, whose tops were 

 just visible, called Hihilloo and Abhidah. 



In the evening I went with Himyah and Ohmed 

 Medina after some antelopes, but could not get 

 near enough to them ; however, we roused a large 

 yellow-coloured snake, of at least five feet in length, 

 that, unscathed by my hurried shot at him, went 

 hissing hot, into his hole under a clump of grass, 

 nor did he cease making the noise, until the last of 

 his tail had disappeared, just in time to escape 

 being pinched off, by the butt-end of a spear, which 

 was struck at it by Ohmed Medina. 



At Herhowlee, we were unfortunate enough to 

 meet with a runaway slave, belonging to Ohmed 

 Mahomed. He was a great rascal, and his master 

 would rather, that he had not made his appearance. 

 His name was Allee, and having lived for the last 

 six months with the Bedouins, had acquired some- 

 what of their wildness. I suspected him, from the 

 great intimacy that seemed to exist between him 

 and Garahmee, and he was just that kind of 

 character, that might be made the instrument of an 

 unscrupulous man. 



vol. i. s 



