| | |hill on the left bank that it | | |would enable an enemy on the hill | | |to defend himself from this bush | | |with reasonable prospects of | | |success, and make it a difficult | | |operation to touch the top of the | | |ridge of the hills without | | |carrying the bush. This gorge | | |would seem to be the best place to | | |put a barrage, should such a work | | |ever be contemplated. After | | |leaving the wells the route | | |follows the khor, which now opens | | |out very considerably. The west | | |bank is covered with dense bush, | | |mostly tamarisk trees; the east | | |bank has a considerable amount of | | |bush, but the belt is not so broad | | |or so high as that on the opposite | | |bank. | | | | 2 | 27 |After about ¾ hour is reached a | | |large patch of dura crop planted | | |in the bed of the khor, dense bush | | |continuing on the left bank; after | | |½ hour, reach a few water holes on | | |the right side of the khor, | | |evidently used for the cultivation | | |of the above-mentioned dura. After | | |passing the cultivation the khor | | |maintains the same general | | |appearance. | | | | | |From here a short cut may be made | | |to Tamatu by leaving the khor, and | | |marching over a scrubby plain, | | |going rough, and cut up by small | | |khors and hills. | | | | | |The path now leads by the right | | |bank of the khor, and clear of it;