Chap. LXXYII. RIVER BETWEEN STEEP CLIFFS. 197 
hour along the grassy shore, which gradually becomes 
lower and is filled with numerous small ponds ; till, 
after proceeding a little more than a mile, rocky ground 
began to rise to the surface on our left. It soon as- 
sumed the form of steep cliffs, rising to the height of 
about 120 feet ; but although during the inundation it 
is closely approached by the river, at present a narrow 
passage was left along the green shore. A heavy gale 
raised the waves of the river to a considerable height ; 
but the sky was so overcast and enveloped in fog 
that nothing of the opposite shore was to be dis- 
covered. 
Numerous small torrents had intersected the cliffs, 
while a thick bush of an unknown species lined 
the foot of them. A little further on, while slightly 
decreasing in height, the rocks became more regu- 
larly stratified, presenting numerous crevices and 
caverns. 
Having then passed a place where the clifi's formed 
a deep recess, the low grassy shore extending far 
into the river, we were obliged to ascend the higher 
level for a while, an open branch coming close up to 
the foot of the rocks. We however descended again 
after a little more than half a mile, near two mag- 
nificent sycamores, and encamped at 11 o'clock in 
the midst of a dense growth of dum-bushes, while 
the Sheikh himself pitched his tent on the top of the 
downs, near an encampment of Kel-tenakse, a division 
of the Kel e' Siik, to whom belonged also another 
encampment upon an island in the river. 
o 3 
