64 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
Chap. LIV. 
the ruins of Gabata or anything else except the most 
profound repose. 
Tuesday, T ne night was very cold, and disagree- 
December 21st. a b] e? a heavy north-easterly gale not 
only bringing cold, but likewise covering us with 
clouds of the feathery prickle Pennisetum distichum ; 
and we started in a condition anything but cheerful. 
The mountain-chain on our left now receded, and 
the country exhibited a rich abundance of timber 
and herbage, the forest being agreeably broken by a 
large extent of stubble-fields where millet and beans 
were grown ; and distinguished among the cultivated 
grounds by the appearance of a certain degree of in- 
dustry, were the fields of Chegchega or Gammachak, 
the oldest estate of the family of Muniyoma, which we 
had on our left.* In' the intervening tracts of forest 
the lim-el-barka or kego {Mimosa Nilotica) was very 
common, but it was at present leafless. Granite pro- 
trudes now and then ; and further on the whole 
country became clothed with retem or broom. 
Close to the village of Baratawa, we crossed a nar- 
row but beautiful and regular vale adorned with the 
finest tamarind trees I ever saw, which were not only 
developing their domelike umbrageous crowns in 
full splendour, but which were the more beautiful as 
the fruit was just beginning to ripen. Close to the 
well a group of slender dum palms were starting 
* I am a little uncertain, at present, whether this is the old re- 
sidence, or the Gammazak near Wushek. 
