236 
ASCENT OF TARANTA. 
We now are journeying in a desert country. 
Surrounded by wild beasts and savages. 
But it is in the service of the Badinsah, 
And who would not die for him ? 
The sharp air of the morning, and the wild landscape through 
which we were passing, together with the shrill cries of par- 
tridges and guinea-fowl, that rose up, at every instant, startled 
by our approach, greatly contributed to enhance the effect of this 
novel and interesting scene. 
Shortly after we reached a point, where a road branches off 
on the left, leading to Halai : a little beyond, stands a high 
rock, or overhanging pinnacle, called Gorezo, respecting which, 
the Abyssinians entertain the tradition of a young maiden 
having leapt from it, to av^id a marriage into which her fether 
threatened to force her/' The abyss below the rock is frightful 
to behold. Above this part of the mountain the vegetation begins 
to change its character, and instead of kolqualls and kantuffa, 
clumps of trees are found, called Wara, of a moderate height, 
bearing leaves resembling those of a willow, the branches of which 
were profusely covered with lichens. Further on for a short 
distance, the road appeared to have been cut through a bed of 
chalk-stone, and, wherever this prevailed, an extensive grove of 
a hardy kind of cedar, called Tud, flourished in abundance. 
After having passed over another moderate ascent, we arrived at 
a lofty height called Sarar. On looking back from this spot, the 
view over the country we had passed became exceedingly grand ; 
ranges of mountains, one below the other, the tops of which 
