WATER OF AKOUROU. 
175 
the sun rises for Ghat, is still seen stretching 
northwards and southwards. Animals feed about 
here and there ; some quails whirr along the 
ground ; black vultures, white eagles, and numerous 
crows, pej'ch upon the rocks, or speckle the sky 
overhead. I went to visit the "Water," as they 
call a small lake that nestles amidst the rocks. It 
is of some depth, and filled, they say, merely by 
rain-water, very palatable to drink. Even when 
no showers occur for several years it does not 
become quite empty ; and as there is no apparent 
reason for this, I am led to suppose it may be partly 
fed by some spring in the rocks that form its bed. 
This lake imparts an unusually cheerful aspect to 
the valley in which it lies. It is resorted to by the 
dwellers of the neighbouring district, who come to 
water their flocks, and feed them on the herbage 
that springs round the margin. These pools or 
collections of water are called ghadeer, which I at 
first mistook for the name of a particular locality. 
According to Yusuf, this place gives an exact idea 
of the Tibboo country, where, he says, there are no 
wells, but vast clefts in the rock, down w^hich pours 
the water when it rains, to collect in the hollows 
at the bottom. Our people speak with great respect 
of this ghadeer. Everything connected with water 
is sacred in the desert. They say that for several 
weeks after a rain-storm there are regular cascades 
over the rocks. 
Next day we advanced in six hours to a wady 
