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338 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
without confuming the body of the tree... After the tropicak 
rains begin, the vegetation immediately returns ; the {fprings. 
increate, the rivers run, and the pools are filled with water. 
All forts of verdure being now in the greateft luxuriancy,. 
the Arabs revifit their former ftations. This conflagration 
is performed at two feafons ; the firk; by the Shangalla and’ 
hunters on the fouthern parts of this woody country, begins: 
in the month of October, on the return of the fun,the cir- 
cumftances of which I have already mentioned ; the latter, 
which happens in March, and lafts all April, befides provid-. 
ing future fultenance for their flocks, is likewife intended to: 
prevent, at leaft to diminifh, the ravages of the fly ; a-plague: 
of the moft extraordinary kind, already defcribed.. 
We left Quaicha a little before four in the morning: 
of the 19th of March, and at half an hour paft five we came- 
to Jibbel Achmar, a {mall mountain, or rather mount ; for 
it is of a very regular form,.and not above 300 feet. high,. 
but covered with green grafs to the top. What has given. 
it the name of Jibbel Achmar, or the Red Mountain, I 
know not. All the country is of red earth about it; but: 
as it hath much grafs, it fhould be called* the Green: 
Mountain, in the middle of the red country ; though there 
is nothing more vague or undetermined than the language: 
of the Arabs, when they fpeak of colours. This hill, fur- 
rounded with impenetrable woods, is in the beginning of. 
autumn the rendezvous of the Arabs Daveina, when there: 
is water; at which time the rhinoceros and many forts of 
beafts, crowd hither ;.tho’ few elephants, but they are thofe 
of 
* Jibbel Achdas. . 
