IT4 
SOMALILAND 
utterly failed to find a pass for the camels to get down. 
We set to work to make one. We made stepping-stones of 
rock where it was steep, we hauled rocks out of the path, 
we cut down dozens of trees and cleared huge branches and 
roots out of the way to make a road ; but do what we would, 
the camels utterly refused to come down, and after pushing, 
pulling, hitting, coaxing, and swearing at them, in turn, we 
had to turn round (a matter of great difficulty in the 
narrow path down the precipitous rocks), and go up again 
and encamp at the top of the nullah. There I found that 
my bearer whom I had sent to look for game was missing, 
but he eventually turned up and reported having seen 
water-buck at the top of the nullah. 
In the afternoon I walked down the side of the steep, 
rocky nullah to get my first sight of the Webbi Shebeyli. 
The rock here was covered with cactus as in the Daghato 
Valley. As I neared the river I found the water entirely 
hidden from view by a dense forest of rich trees, including 
three sorts of palm, the first of their kind I had as yet seen 
in Somaliland. The scenery here reminded me of the rich 
vegetation of Ceylon, one of the most beautiful countries 
after Scotland, to my thinking, in the world. Butterfly 
life swarmed here, and setting two men busy with nets, 
I proceeded to the water’s edge with great difficulty 
through the almost impenetrable jungle which lined the 
river-banks. ^ 
The river Shebeyli was here about as wide as the 
Thames at Beading, and flowed about 4 feet deep. On 
either side of the river towered steep rocky hills covered 
with bush. On the sandy bank of the river I noticed the 
curious spoor of the hippopotamus coming out of the water 
at night to feed on the luxuriant grass growing on the 
banks of the river. I had a most delicious bath in some 
shallow water, which was marred, perhaps, by suddenly 
discovering the distinct form of a large crocodile imprinted 
on the sand just where I had left my clothes ! There it 
was, head, tail, feet — a perfect fossil-like spoor ! The im- 
