174 MAQUAREA. 
factioiij being happy to quit so inhospitable a village. We passed 
over the same ground as before, and descended the pass of Atbara. 
We had just before observed to the right some ruined houses, or 
rather caves, dug out in the perpendicular side of a high project- 
ing rock, near the bottom of the ascent : we saw a few monkeys of 
the same species as those brought about the streets of Mocha ; and 
two Abba Gumbas, seated in state on the branch of a wide spread- 
ing tree. 
" Vegetation seems to be remarkably quick in its progress here; 
for several trees, which were just blooming when we passed before, 
were now covered with seed nearly ripe. On entering the plain, 
we turned off immediately to the left, and proceeded almost a mile 
to the village of Maquarea, built partly on some huge masses of 
rock that have fallen from the mountains above, and partly under 
the ledges of the mountain itself. There are a few large Daroo 
trees immediately below, and a spring of water issuing from under 
one of them. The houses are all very small, and it appears upon 
the whole a wretched place, though built in a wild and romantic 
situation. It is in the district of Tembra, now under Barrambaras 
Tokla, who, it may be observed, is no relation to the Shum of 
Giralta. 
" We obtained from this village two hundred cakes of bread and 
two goats. In the evening I received a message from Basha Abdal- 
lali, informing me of his arrival in the neighbourhood, and that he 
should be glad to proceed on with us to-morrow. I sent back a 
proper answer, and a present of a cow. 
October 14.— We left the village of Maquarea at an early hour, 
by which our opportunities of shooting were greatly increased, as 
