Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 1.djvu/268

 intersected serving as channels for the floods during the rare rainfalls. The upper terrace is itself separated from the plain of the Danakils by a second somewhat less elevated cliff. Although the station of Obok suffers greatly from drought, the district might be reclaimed, and travellers, comparing the vegetation of Obok with the naked and burning rocks of Aden, describe this new station as an oasis. On sinking wells in the valley water is everywhere found at a depth of from 3 to 5 feet, a little brackish near the shore, but perfectly sweet farther inland. King Menelik has granted a formal concession to a French explorer to build a narrow-gauge railway between Ankober and Obok. Many of the caravans coming

from Shoa have already commenced trading with this settlement. The extent of the lands on the northern shore of Tajurah Bay that have been conceded to France is estimated at 1,200 square miles.

The commercial rivalry existing between the European nations, which has made Zeïla an English city, and which now creates the French town of Obok on this coraline African coast, also caused an Italian colony to spring up on the same seaboard in 1870. Southern Abyssinia, till recently almost cut off from the world, will thus possess for the exportation of its commodities three maritime ports belonging to as many different foreign powers. No serious attempts to utilise the town of Assab were made till 1882. The new town, which already possesses several buildings in the European style, lies 72 miles directly north of Obok, and