JOURNEY TO AGHADEZ. 
59 
contrast to the naked deserts of Ghat ! It was from 
between the rich foliage of this valley that Dr. 
Earth obtained his first glimpses of the majestic 
mountain-chain of Dogein, estimated to attain the 
height of between four and five thousand feet. It is 
the loftiest range in Aheer. 
The plain of Erarer-en-Dendemu, which next 
succeeds, is covered with brushwood and low trees, 
and inhabited by lions — here called the Father of 
the Wilderness. Dr. Barth saw several, as well as 
a kind of ape about the size of a small boy, squatting 
in crowds on the lower hills. Beyond, overhung by 
the mountains of Anderas, is the rocky plain of 
Tarist, famous among the Arabs, as well as the Kai- 
louees, on account of the remains of a mosque, indi- 
cated only by lines of stones on the ground. It was 
founded by a great saint called Sidi Baghdadi, 
and is a general resting-place for caravans. The 
basaltic formation here succeeds the granitic ; and 
the plain is covered with loose black stones, about 
the size of a child's head. 
Escaping from this rough ground, the travellers 
entered a narrow valley, trenched by a broad water- 
course, along the sides of which was a thick growth 
of palm-trees. There are two villages in this wady. 
Near one of them slaves were seen yoked to a plough, 
and driven like oxen by their master. Further 
south the hoe replaces the plough in preparing the 
ground. This valley, inhabited by the Imrad (a 
Targhee tribe), is capable of producing not only 
