CHAPTER VI.

Arrival at Fillik. — The Gash. — Abundance of Game.— Cassala reached.— Encampment in the Dry Bed of the Gash.— Caravans on the Cassala Road. — The Governor of Cassala.— Servants sent from Sanheit. — Death of Jules.

Ox\ the 5th we arrived at Fillik, after two very long marches.

This place is quite a town, or rather a collection of hamlets, built in a treeless, dusty, waterless plain : all the water required by the inhabitants has to be fetched from wells sunk in a khoi' some distance off, and below Fillik. The town, or village, is composed of conical-roofed huts, thatched with <37/?/rm-stalks. Being very straggling, it covers a great deal of ground, and is the permanent headquarters of the Hadendowa tribe : the families of many of our camel-drivers lived there.

In the distance, a long way off, we saw a range of low mountains ; the Cassala mountain was ahead, and just in sight ; to our left, and all around us, was a great dismal plain, perfectly flat and without any vegetation. We halted inside the telegraph compound. Soon after our arrival a telegram came from the governor of Cassala, ordering the authorities to send five soldiers to Wandi to our assistance.

The following day, as soon as we had seen the caravan off, we started to look for the Gash, the important kJioi on which Cassala is situated, and which, according to the map, runs very near Fillik. The ground fell a good deal for some distance after leaving the village. We soon came to a narrow kJio7% bordered by very thick bushes and some good-sized trees ; and, 4«