478 ROMANTIC SCENERY. 



surmounted the prejudices of their Bedouin 

 ancestors against keeping fowls. 



The leading camels of the caravan coming into 

 sight, we learnt from some of the faster walkers 

 who preceded it, that one of the Hy Soumaulee 

 Kafilahs, having travelled during the night from 

 Mulkukuyu, had arrived at Azbotee, just as our 

 camels were moving off,^ and rather than remain 

 alone at that place, had determined to continue 

 their march with us, at least, as far as the present 

 spot, which I could see was sometimes made a 

 halting-place for Kafilahs. 



Again starting on our march, we followed the 

 bed of a small stream, flowing into the valley of 

 Kokki ; and which, after leading us a short distance 

 through some beautiful forest scenery, entered a 

 ravine, having high precipitous cliffs on either side 

 of a very light coloured trachytic rock. In huge 

 fissures, that traversed the faces of these perpen- 

 dicular walls of stone, large trees, among which I 

 noticed the tamarind, flourished in great luxuriance, 

 projecting from their singular habitats, over the 

 passing traveller. Every twenty yards, the stream, 

 in its serpentine course, presented a new picture, 

 and it will be very long before I forget the series of 

 little romantic landscapes I cast my eye over, 

 during our too hasty passage. The bottom of this 

 water-cut chasm was not wider than a common road 

 in England, and nearly as level. It was covered 

 with a beautiful green turf of the softest and 



