“WILD GRAPES. 249 and, upon an open stretch of land just beyond it, I was able at last to take the compass bearings necessary to complete my observations made on the Abayo, the country to the south alone being veiled by clouds. A grand panorama was visible —the Agaru group, the solitary forms of Lalak, Lamo, and Ageu, the syenitic dome of Abaya, which we had passed on the road, and even the distant Sereten. All the groups of the north-east Shuli district, as far as the Kuron and Kiteng, ineluding the very striking three-pinnacled Akkara group (Jebel Pale); in front of us, the imposing masses of Ogilli, Paimol, and Mora, between which appeared the pointed Farabongo ; and finally, the grand masses of Okaga—a far more magnificent scene than that presented by the eastern mountains, because the outlines are more jagged and bold than the rounded summits of the more northern ranges.

The Languello hill, which we next climbed, rises from a sort of plateau, and on its summit we found large reservoirs of water, in which small flocks of widow-ducks (Dendrocygna viduata) were sporting. My men ate freely of the fruit of the wild vine, growing all round; its ripe black grapes are not juicy, but very pleasant. A fine sycamore and a solitary doléb palm beside it form a prominent landmark, visible for a long distance in this scantily wooded country; they announced to us the proximity of our camping-ground, under a stunted tamarind, beside Khor Dore. This spot had been chosen because of the abundance of water and of bamboos, which supplied good material for hutbuilding. The latter part of ‘the savannah is crossed by broad hollows overgrown with rushes ; these hollows are probably swamps in the rainy season. Then followed open wood with groves of Amomum, until, after a good three hours’ march, we reached newly tilled land, and ascended a good road on clayey soil, through a fine forest to the Leruama hill ; then, through the corn-fields which surrounded the little village of Tingtum, we reached the village of Lira, situated on the ridge of the hill.

After a short rest here, we proceeded to Jebel Uyugu, where the cultivated land is surrounded by fine forests with large dark masses of foliage, a rare sight in the Shulicountry. A number of barked trees showed that the inhabitants kept bees, for