TWO NEW TREES. 
37 
x4iiijam, where there was a khafilah of senna en- 
camped among the trees. Water — rather bitter, 
hovv^ever — may be found here in shallow excavations ; 
and the whole place, with its patches of herbage, is 
highly refreshing to the eye. 
There are two new trees in this wady, both 
interesting ; the Ghurdok and the Ajdaree. The 
ghurdoh, on which the camels browse, is a large 
bush with great thorns, and bears a red berry 
about the size of our hip, or, as the marabout says, 
of sheep's dung. People eat these berries and find 
them good, with a saltish, bitter taste, and yet a 
dash of sweetness. The ajdaree is also a thorny 
bush, and at a distance something reminds one of 
the English hedge-thorn. On a nearer approach 
the leaves are found to be oval and filbert-shaped. 
The berry, called thomahli, is nearly as large as 
haws, but flatted at the sides : it is used medicinally, 
being a powerful astringent in diarrhoea. 
When the moon was two days old our people 
practised a little of the ancient Sabseanism of the 
Arabs — saluting it by kissing their hands, and offer- 
ing a short prayer. 
On the 15th we at length sighted the edge of 
the plateau of the Hamadah ; and pushing on still 
through desert hills and valleys, arrived at Wady 
Tabooneeah, having been en route four days from 
Mizdah. This valley is not so fertile as Amjam ; 
and the water is more bitter. Common salt, the 
companion of gypsum, was observed to-day ; and 
