CHAPTER XL Arrival at Wo Ammar.— First Interview with Base. — A Base Village.— Giraffestalking. — The Village of Koolookoo. — Deputation from the Village. — The Sheik's Son makes himself "generally useful." — Presents tor the Deputation. — The Koolookoo Villagers much interested m us. — Visit to the Village. Women of Koolookoo.

The following day, Jan. 30, we made a farther march of five hours and a half, encamping high above the Gash, where the river makes a great bend. This place rejoiced in the name of Wo Ammar, and was a very pretty spot, the banks of the Gash being thickly fringed with high grass and p//;;/-palms, many of them of great size, and covered with creeping plants ; while on either side rose a chain of hills. A fine sunset completed a very pretty picture : as a rule, the sunsets were not remarkably beautiful, owing to the absence of clouds, but on this occasion there were a great number.

There were plenty of guinea-fowl and partridges on the banks ; and in the river's bed we found several herds of tetel on our arrival, coming upon them suddenly, having been travelling away from the Gash all day, until we abruptly struck it at this point. For the first time we came across a very pretty little antelope, smaller than a gazelle, called by the Base mora, by the Arabs otcrop ; it has a very rough chestnut skin, and I believe it to be the CalotragiLs montanus. The country through which we passed had all been burned ; and there was, in consequence, very little game, there being no grass left. We went 86