146 MOUNTAIN OF ASSAULI. 
journal, that with all this refined feeling of humanity, he was 
far from being devoid of courage, and I had an opportunity sub- 
sequently of witnessing several instances of his bravery, though he 
appeared on all occasions peculiarly anxious to avoid a quarrel. 
At the present time he was at variance with the Nayib of Mas- 
sowa, and therefore did not think it right to venture farther 
towards the coast. On his going away I presented him with an 
hundred dollars, and a small piece of broad cloth to make a 
kaftan, and we parted, I believe, with mutual regret; at least for 
my own part I can truly say, that I have seldom felt more respect 
for an individual than I did for this worthy man. The thermo- 
meter in the evening was at 62°. 
On the 23d we descended to the bottom of the mountain, where 
we gradually lost sight of the beautiful scenery with which we 
had been so much delighted, and soon got into a wild jungle 
of thorny acacias, growing on a sandy and barren soil ; all traces 
of the stream in a short time totally disappearing. 
The country after this became so extremely wild and thickly 
set with trees, that, for a short time, we completely lost our way, 
and wandered several miles towards the south, until an old shep- 
herd, watching an isolated field of mishella, belonging to Shum 
Sadoo, at length set us right. Hence we proceeded in an easterly 
direction, having to descend several rugged passes, until we 
came to a range of wells in the bed of a torrent, situated at about 
eleven miles distance from Arkeeko, where we found a number 
of the natives watering large droves of cattle, brought up from 
the vicinity of the coast ; and in the neighbourhood of this spot 
we took up our encampment for the night. We had not long 
