DENSE POPULATION. 275 next morning until friend Rochama had finished his sleep, and, with great difficulty and trouble, had persuaded his men to carry our few loads. In the course of the march, which took us over very hilly ground covered with high grass, Jebel Até, better known under the name of the district, Faranka, came into sight. I noticed some Kriodendrons growing in a wood, but they seemed to be very scarce here. A very steep and long descent brought us at length to Khor Asua, which is here widened by broad stone ledges to about one hundred and thirty feet, and was very difficult to ford, especially as the late rains had swollen it considerably, so that the water reached to our armpits. Rich vegetation crowned the rocky banks, the bright blossoms of the Spathodeas shone among the dark foliage of the tree--tops, and red Loranthus twined its garlands round the trunks. Exactly opposite the point where we descended to the ford, Khor Bara, which we had crossed once before near Bayira, and found rather empty, poured its abundant water into the Asua. The village of Lenga-Lenga, which we reached after a short march through open forest, stood on a corner of a rocky height without any fence. Besides bananas, tomatoes are found here, which were no doubt introduced by the Danagla.

Village now succeeded village; but the large hamlet Udng, on the gentle slope of a green hill, surrounded by fine clumps of trees, and having a fine view of the mountains of Fatiko, was particularly attractive. As soon as we had cressed Khor Bara, we entered a palm forest, in which were situated numerous zertbas, fields, and hamlets, upon a comparatively level highland. ‘The village of Odiak, where Chief Rochima had again thoughtfully had huts erected for us, lay within sight of Bayira, which we had visited before. The adjacent large fields were planted with sweet potatoes of the red-skinned variety which are universally grown in the south, while in all the districts to the west of the Nile the larger less sweet and whiteskinned kind is cultivated. The chief of this place kindly had a feast prepared for my men in the evening; large quantities of eleusine beer and sweet potatoes were supplied by the villagers, who, in return, claimed a share of the men’s rations of meat, and dancing and singing kept the village astir until the early morning.