44 
THROUGH SOMALILAND AND ABYSSINIA chap. 
formed our bivouac beside a spring of clear water, and in the 
sandy torrent -beds which formed its approaches found many 
lion and koodoo tracks. Before leaving the coast I had sent 
two Som&lis on horseback to the cedar forests which clothe the 
flat top of Golis to search for fresh elephant-tracks. On this 
evening they arrived to report having found no recent sign, so I 
decided to go to Sheikh, twelve miles to the east, and thence to 
try Wagar Mountain. 
At about 3 p.m. we loaded up and started on our march. 
The path led over rocky country along the side of G61is, through 
thick belts of jungle and across sandy torrent-beds, which in 
many places showed the fresh tracks of lions and antelopes, but 
not of elephants. It was very hot and the sharp stones were 
fearfully trying to the camels, nevertheless we had to push on 
in order to reach water while daylight lasted ; we failed, and 
night overtaking us, were compelled to camp on the hillside 
without it. 
Next morning our march took us through a maze of ravines, 
about the worst ground I have ever traversed with baggage 
animals ; then descending abruptly to Lower Sheikh, we found 
a plot of green turf bordering a stream and surrounded on all 
sides by steep mountains. The Sheikh Pass takes its name 
from the tomb of a sheikh built in the form of a sugar-loaf 
plastered with a white substance, which forms a conspicuous 
landmark at the top of the pass. While forming camp at 
Lower Sheikh we were passed by a large caravan, which was 
fording the stream on its way with hides, gum, feathers, and 
other commodities, from the Og^den country to Berbera, and 
soon afterwards my trackers arrived with the welcome news 
that they had struck the path of a herd of elephants — a bull 
and four cows — two marches to the south of the sheikh’s grave. 
They had followed and marked down the elephants to a jungle 
where they were likely to stay, at the back of Wagar, and they 
further reported the bull to be a fine tusker. I engaged three 
horsemen from among the Habr Gerhajis, whose pastures were 
at Lower Sheikh, to take up the tracks, and on sighting the 
herd to send one of their number back to guide us to the spot ; 
meanwhile I waited at Lower Sheikh, looking about for koodoo. 
Soon afterwards my people led in a shepherd boy, who had seen 
a bull and cow koodoo retire up one of the steep gorges of the 
Sheikh valley to take their noon rest under a large tree. A hot 
walk along the banks of the Sheikh river, at this time a mere 
