90 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
Chap. XLI. 
valley ; and we had a long unprofitable conversation 
with them in endeavouring to obtain their goodwill. 
Friday, ^ e star ted very early, for a long day's 
October 17th. fatiguing ride ; for, notwithstanding all the 
care I took of myself, I could not recover from my 
sickly state, and was extremely sensitive of fatigue. 
The country in the beginning of our march was less 
adorned with trees than usual ; but it became more 
densely wooded after we had passed the vale called 
Asfdra. This hollow, of small extent, and inclosed all 
around by steep slopes, is provided with a great num- 
ber of wells of excellent water ; but its bottom, being 
in most parts stony, is almost bare of vegetation, with 
the exception of here and there a diim-bush. While 
the men made a short halt for taking in a supply of 
water, I went a little in advance with 'Abd-AUah ; 
but I soon found that he did not know the road at 
all, keeping far too much to the south, and I thought 
it wiser to return to our people, and march along with 
them. 
The country here offers a greater variety in its 
configuration ; and, instead of an extensive level, as 
before, hill and dale succeed each other. Having 
passed several smaller concavities, we reached a more 
considerable valley, called Jena u Sheliikko, which 
contained corn, or rather durra fields, but they 
were entirely destroyed by the elephants. Grain had 
also been cultivated at the foot of the slope ; but it had 
failed entirely, on account of the scarcity of rain. 
There were no vestiges of human habitations. 
