'Southern Arabia, by Theodore Bent, F.R.G.S., F.S.A., Author of 'The Ruined Cities of Mashonaland' 'The Sacred City of the Ethiopians' 'The Cyclades, Or Life Among the Insular Greeks' etc. and Mrs Theodore Bent' [‎330] (387/552)

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THE EASTEEN SOUDAN
carried water from Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Gabeit. We travelled six hours,
wanderingj/hrough desert valleys, in which everything was
dried up, with clumps of grass in it as black as if they had
been burnt, and as if they had not seen rain for years. All the
valleys to the west of Mount Erba seem to be arid except
Gumateo or Gumatyewa, a big valley which must have water
near the surface, which runs all along at the back of the range,
with arid hills from 500 to 1,000 feet on either side of it.
Vegetation is more abundant, and masses of arack-trees
(salvadora), supposed to be the mustard-tree of the Bible,
grow here, v the wood of which is much esteemed for cleaning
the teeth. Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Gumateo seems to be a favourite nursery
for camels. On our way we passed many camel mothers
with their infants, feeding on the arack and other shrubs.
At the upper end of this valley, where we encamped for a
night, Mount Erba, with its highest peak, Mount Nabidua,
stands out in bold and fantastic outline. It is a remarkable
range as seen from this spot, shutting off like a great wall the
Soudan from the Red Sea littoral.
It was a most beautiful place and there was plenty of
wood, so we could have fine fires at night and burn some
charcoal for future use.
On February 18 we had a much more enjoyable day, for
we were winding about among the mountains. Twice we
had to dismount to walk over passes. One was exceedingly
fine, with bold and stupendous cliffs.
There were several groups of huts in the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Khur,
which we next reached.
There is much more vegetation here, many tamarisks
and other shrubs giving delightful shade. Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Khur is the
nursery for young donkeys, many of which, we were told,
from time to time escape to the higher mountain, and have
established the race of wild asses to be found here. The
valley has a good many pastoral inhabitants, and in the