HAMHAMxMO. 
^39 
but had not advanced two miles, when we saw with surprize one 
of our people ahead throw down his load at the mouth of a gully 
on the left, and seizing his spear, shout aloud; making at the same 
time all the gestures usual with them on going into battle. Captain 
Rudland supposed that the Shiho were coming down to attack us; 
for my part, I thought that it was a sort of war challenge, calling 
upon the Shiho by way of bravado; we were however both mis- 
taken, for on looking towards the gap, whom should we see but 
our friend Baharnegash Yasous on foot, with four or five followers. 
He had left Dixan only two days before, and had come across the 
hills by a near road to meet us. Thus reinforced, our bearers went 
on with spirit, and soon brought our baggage to a spot a little to 
the northward of Hamhammo, where the stream was still running, 
though we had often lost it on the road. Here we rested, took our 
breakfast, and again sent out the bearers for provender for our 
mules. After remaining a few hours we recommenced our journey, 
and, at the distance of about a mile, passed an encampment, very 
much like the one before mentioned in my former journal. The 
Hazorta were busily engaged in cutting down the branches of the 
acacia for their goats, of which they seemed to have a good stock. 
We bartered a little flour for some milk, and our people also 
exchanged some skins for different articles. 
" We saw soon after the ruins of another encampment that had 
been deserted. Hence we continued along the bed of the torrent 
for about a mile farther. The stream indeed, properly speaking, 
ceased at Hamhammo, but there were a few holes, where water was 
still found in the bed so far as this place. Here, however, the water 
came entirely to an end, being lost in a bed of sand, that spreads 
