A MOUNTAIN REGION. 295 right, approaching nearer and nearer to one another. When crossing the hills, a number of mountains and mountain groups were visible, lying partly in the unknown countries to the east of Latuka, partly in the north-east of the Shuli district. Thus, from the heights of Jebel Khofir, which we climbed over to reach the other side of the valley, the lofty Toé, in the Harrogo district, came into sight, and among the distant Irenga mountains we saw the dome-shaped Baya and the Zummo Peak, which last is certainly higher than all the rest. Jebel Seréten, which, seen from Tarangole, seemed to shut in the defile, now lay beside us, and we spent the night at Khor Koz, which we had not seen for some time, as it had flowed at some distance from our road. As soon as we had crossed the khor the road | took a westerly direction. The soil here is a hard red clay, containing masses of quartz fragments, often of a beautiful milky white colour, which are used by the Shuli in the manufacture of the little cones which are worn by men and women in the under-lip. Jebel Seréten forms the boundary of Latuka on the Shuli side.

A number of small rivulets and some large torrent-beds intersect the country. The vegetation during the first part of the route consisted of dense acacia bush, and farther on of open bush, such as is found on steppes. A quantity of Calotropis and three varieties of euphorbia were thriving well on sandy spots. Khor Okorra, a true mountain stream, rushes down from the adjacent Halanga chain, and in a deep gorge, which keeps its water icy cold, sweeps round the foot of the high hill of Kela, which is covered with Shuli villages, and where the little station of Agaru is situated. The high position of this station (3700 feet), its cold water, and moderate temperature, render it the healthiest and most pleasant place of abode in this country; its surrounding mountains and hills also make it very picturesque.

From Agaru to Fadibék was a hard day’s march of eleven hours fifty-five minutes. We passed by the Langia range, then -crossed Khor Arenga, with its beautiful ‘gallery ” wood, and reached Jebel Lamo, or, as it is usually called, Falogga. We were now in country traversed last year, when I marked on my map the mountains, such as Lamo, Lalak, and