CHAPTER XVI.

Our Journey to Amedeb.— History of Sheik Said Carcashi.— The Bombashi.

Promises aid in recovering the Stolen Property.— Ras Aloula. — Town of Amedeb. — Pere Picard. — Mahomet's Sister. — Return to the Mareb.

As soon as the fog cleared away we started, and reached Amedeb about three o'clock. I never traversed so bad a road with camels, and imagine they are very rarely made to perform the journey. We had to go over a high mountain, from which we obtained a most extensive view ; to our left were other mountains, many of them of most fantastic shapes, and covered with loose stones and a growth of short trees and bushes, while to our left stretched an apparently endless plain, on which our men made out they could perceive the fringe of d/i02t7n-pa\ms that borders either bank of Khor Baraka. The whole country was covered with what had been dhirra-fields, the hills being terraced for its cultivation, reminding me in appearance of the vines growing on the hillsides in Switzerland.

A long time before we reached Amedeb, we could see it in the plain before us. The valley in which it is situated is surrounded on all sides by mountains, except where it runs into the great plain, which extends east and west for miles. This valley is very unlovely, being covered with loose stones, and having a sparse growth of small bushes. Nevertheless, villages are numerous, all being built on the hillsides, and of the usual conical-roofed huts. We saw plenty of cattle. A Base, who had accompanied us from the Mareb, left us at 137