172 NEGUIDA. 
charge of our cattle, which formed a considerable drove; the Ras 
having given us nine bullocks and ten sheep, that we might be se- 
cure of provisions on the road. 
" October 1 1 .— We were detained some time in the morning by the 
loss of one of our mules, which had strayed away in the night, and 
while waiting, we took for breakfast some bread, milk, and boiled 
mutton, the remainder of a sheep that was presented us by the 
master of the village on the evening before. After passing the 
brook at the bottom of the hill, we turned oflP to the left, out of the 
road by which we had before gone to Muccullah, and ascending 
a hill, we came into the plain of Jambela, by almost imperceptible 
descents, and halted by the side of a clear pool of water, under a 
momunna* tree, which, though scarcely in leaf, afforded a most ex- 
cellent shelter. A little before us was the village of Debre, which we 
afterwards passed on the right, and about two miles beyond came to 
Neguida, where we were to rest for the night. In the course of the day 
we saw a profusion of the white jasmine in flower, the blossoms of 
which differed in the number of segments of the corolla, which 
varied from four to six. Though part of th^ corn was gathered, 
and the greater part of the remainder nearly ripe, yet there were 
but few of the inhabitants ploughing, or rather, as Captain Rudland 
said, disturbing the stones ; for the ground was here at least in 
three parts out of four covered with them. Soon after our arrival 
we were joined by our baggage : the master of the house presented 
ah. 
US with a bullock, and brought a small quantity of maize, and two 
hundred and fifty cakes of bread. Our party was at this time so 
large, that 1 was obliged to make a considerable addition to this 
' * A large species of Mimosa. 
