The road was well
watered by many small streams in deep gorges, until we descended to the
Asua river. This was just twenty-five miles from our camp at Lobore, in
latitude N., by observation, 3 degrees 43 minutes.
We happened to arrive at the spot where the river Atabbi joined the
Asua. At this junction the Atabbi was perfectly clear, while the Asua
was muddy, which proved that heavy rain had fallen in the Madi and
Shooli countries, while the weather was dry in the mountains of Obbo.
The Asua flowed through a fine forest, but although the water was muddy
from recent rains, the volume at this season was confined to a portion
of the bed, in the deepest parts of which it did not exceed two feet six
inches. The bed from bank to bank was about 120 yards in width, and the
maximum rise of the river was about twelve feet. During the wet season
this is a frightful torrent that acts as a barrier to any advance or
retreat of troops encumbered with baggage.
Having waded through the river, we halted under the shady trees on the
south side; here there was excellent herbage for the cattle, as the
young grass after the annual fires was now about eight inches high, upon
the rich soil near the river's bank.
