259 
CHAP. LXXX. 
DENSER POPULATION BEGINS. 
The beginning of our journey without a Tuesday, 
guide was not very fortunate ; for, having set 
out first from our encampment, endeavouring to cut 
off the great windings of the river, with my camels 
and ray three freed bkcks, my companions, in the 
dawn of the morning, lost the traces of ray footsteps 
upon the grassy undulating ground, and it was some 
time before they joined me. The ground became at 
times stony, talha, gerredh, and other species of mi- 
mosas, being the predominant trees ; and after a march 
of eight railes, we had to ascend another ridge, clothed 
with thick forest, where the kiika, or tedurat, the 
monkey bread- tree, Avhich I had not seen for so long 
a time, Avas very common. This was an almost cer- 
tain sign of the locality having once been a centre of 
human life, but at present only the traces of a former 
ksar, or hamlet, were to be seen. Having then crossed 
a small " rek," or " faire," that is to say, a barren, 
naked plain, we descended again, while the desolate 
character of the country continued, and the only signs 
of human life which we observed were the traces of 
s 2 
