_18th January_.--The Abban again returned from his home, and accompanied Lieutenant Speke on his first march to the north-east. Early in the morning the caravan started over the ground before described: on this occasion, however, it traversed the belt of jungle at the foot of the mountains. After a march of six miles they halted at "Mirhiddo," under a tree on elevated ground, in a mere desert, no water being nearer than the spring of Jid Ali. The Abban took the opportunity of Lieutenant Speke going out specimen-hunting to return home, contrary to orders, and he did not reappear till the traveller walked back and induced him to march. Here a second camel, being "in articulo," was cut up and greedily devoured. _21st January_.--The Abban appeared in the morning, and the caravan started about noon, over the stony ground at the foot of the hills. After a mile's march, the "Protector" again disappeared, in open defiance of orders. That day's work was about ten miles. The caravan halted, late at night, in the bed of a watercourse, called Hanfallal. Lieutenant Speke visited the spring, which is of extraordinary sweetness for the Warsingali country: it flows from a cleft in the rock broad enough to admit a man's body, and about 60 feet deep. _23rd January_.--Lieutenant Speke was about to set out under the guidance of Awado, the Abban's mother, when her graceless son reappeared. At noon the caravan travelled along a rough road, over the lower spurs of the mountains: they went five miles, and it was evening when they unloaded in a watercourse a little distance up the hills, at a place called Dallmalay. The bed was about 150 yards broad, full of jungle, and showed signs of a strong deep stream during the monsoon. The travellers made up a Kraal, but found no water there. _24th January_.--Early in the morning the caravan started, and ascended by a path over the hills. The way was bare of verdure, but easy: here a camel unable to walk, though unloaded, was left behind. One of Lieutenant Speke's discharged camel-men, a Warsingali, being refused passage by the Habr Gerhajis, on account of some previous quarrel, found a stray camel, and carried it off to his home amongst the Dulbahantas. He afterwards appeared at Las Kuray, having taken the road by which the travellers entered the country. Having marched eleven miles, the caravan arrived in the evening at Gobamiray, a flat on the crest of the mountains. Here again thick jungle appeared, and the traveller stood over more on the seaward side. Water was distant. On arriving, the camels were seized by the Urus Sugay, a clan of the Habr Gerhajis. The poor wretches pretended to show fight, and asked if they were considered a nation of women, that their country was to be entered without permission. Next morning they volunteered to act as escort.