SCENE AROUND AZBOTEE. 467 



towards the Hawash. The neighbourhood of the 

 lake marks the commencement of a more open 

 district, very much resembling the plains of 

 Southern Africa, being devoid of trees, and a not 

 very thick jungle of low bushes and shrubs, 

 admitting a clear view over them. Among other 

 plants in this situation, I noticed immense quanti- 

 ties of the Socotrine aloe plant, with its long 

 variegated fleshy leaves, whip-like flower stalk, and 

 bright orange-coloured corollas depending like 

 small bells from its summit. 



At Azbotee, the country to the north and east 

 is marked by several volcanic craters, of some eleva- 

 tion ; and a ridge occupies the tract we had just 

 passed over, of slight elevation certainly, but suffi- 

 cient to shut out from sight the opposite slope to 

 the Hawash, except in the immediate neighbour- 

 hood of Lee Adu, which extends to the left, or south, 

 where its waters still were seen gleaming through 

 the tall trees, growing upon its banks. Before 

 us were clumps of mimosa trees, at first " few 

 and far between," that prepared us gradually for 

 a thickly-wooded belt, that could be perceived 

 at the bottom of the gentle slope from Azbotee to 

 Kokki, and which marked the channel of a stream 

 flowing to the south and east, probably into Lee 

 Adu. Beyond, was the valley of Kokki, so called 

 from the number of guinea-fowl found there. A 

 succession of low hills, gradually increasing in 

 elevation, now leads the eye towards the north-west 



h h 2 



