February 4th, 1891.
Reached the “falls” in an hour and a half, after bidding goodbye to Kittar. We did not loiter there, but climbed on up the ravine in a southerly direction, till we reached the top of the “divide” between the Kittar and Medisa group of mountains. It was a very steep and tedious climb; and I thought we never should get to the top. But when we did, the view quite repaid us for our trouble. To the north east we could see the Red Sea, with Mount Sinai on the other side. It looked quite close, but was really nearly one hundred miles off. To the south we could see the desert stretching away right to the Nile. Having eaten our bread and cheese, we set off to clamber down the Medisa ravine. It was not by any means easy, and I parted with one of my soles about halfway down. However, we soon got down, and held our course along the gradually descending valley, till we reached the Medisa cascade, which is only three quarters of an hour from camp, which we reached at dusk, after a hard day. We saw no ibex, but several coveys of partridges. Powney had arrived with the camels and pitched camp on our old ground.
KITTAR WATERFALL.
Medisa,
February 5th, 1891.
As Powney went out for ibex, I stayed about camp, and went for partridges to the water, but found nothing. Made a fresh oven. Powney saw no ibex.
Medisa,
February 6th, 1891.
Started early, and hunted the mountains in the direction of Kohila; but found the Wadi full of sheep instead of ibex. We made a mistake in leaving Kittar, as all the game seems to be there; it is quieter than the rest of the mountains. But we could not foresee that the Arabs would bring their sheep up here.[19] It was very hot and close all day, with a cloudy sky. The Arabs say we are in for a storm, so we have been putting out guy-ropes in all directions from the tent, and strengthening the pegs with rocks.