Chap. LIX. 
DENSE FOREST. 
233 
It was a beautiful morning, and the view over the 
valley from this undulating ground was highly in- 
teresting. We had just entered denser forest, when 
my friend Yidi overtook me, accompanied by two 
horsemen, and handing me, to my great surprise, be- 
sides a good provision of salt, 2000 kurdi, or shells, 
which I only reluctantly accepted for the sake of my 
servants. He also brought me a guide, who was to 
accompany me as far as G&rbo. We therefore pur- 
sued our march cheerfully, but experienced repeated 
delays in the thick covert of the forest. The trees 
were rather dry, and not very luxuriant, no rain 
having fallen in this part of the country for some 
time. A little further on we passed a small pond, 
where we fell in with a party of Tawarek half-castes 
from Zaberma or Cheggazar, who were carrying the 
salt of Fogha to their home, on a small number 
of oxen and asses. We encamped at a quarter past 
three o'clock in the afternoon, near another small 
pond, on an open spot, where I again enjoyed an 
open encampment, which is the greatest charm of 
a travelling life. 
Soon after starting, we had to descend Wednesday, 
a rocky passage, and we were glad to Jun ei5tn. 
find the road, from time to time, enlivened by small 
parties of travellers. First we fell in with a man of 
the name of Mohammed el Amin, from Hamed-Allahi, 
the capital of the western empire of the Fiilbe, who 
had come by way of Jiinju, and who, having cherished 
the good intention of performing the pilgrimage to 
