The Nile tributaries of Abyssinia, and the sword hunters of the Hamran Arabs

Front matter

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Preface

The work entitled "The Albert N'yanza Great Basin of the !N'ile," published in 1866, has given an account of the equatorial lake system from which the Egyptian river derives its source. It has been determined by the joint explorations of Speke, Grant, and myself, that the rainfall of the equatorial districts supplies two vast lakes, the Victoria and the Albert, of sufficient volume to support the Nile throughout its entire course of thirty degrees of latitude. Thus the parent stream, fed by never-failing reservoirs, supplied by the ten months' rainfall of the equator, rolls steadily on its way through arid sands and burning deserts until it reaches the Delta of Lower Egypt.

It would at first sight appear that the discovery of the lake sources of the Nile had completely solved the mystery of ages, and that the fertility of Egypt depended upon the rainfall of the equator concentrated in the lakes Victoria and Albert ; but the exploration of the Nile tributaries of Abyssinia divides the Nile system viii PREFACE.

into two proportions, and unravels the entire mystery of the river, by assigning to each its due share in ministering to the prosperity of Egypt.

The lake sources of Central Africa support the Kfe of Egypt, by supplying a stream, throughout all seasons, that has sufficient volume to support the exhaustion of evaporation and absorption; but this stream, if unaided, could never overflow its banks, and Egypt, thus deprived of the annual inundation, would simply exist, and cultivation would be confined to the close vicinity of the river.

The inimdation, which by its annual deposit of mud has actually created the Delta of Lower Egypt, upon the overflow of which the fertility of Egypt depends, has an origin entirely separate from the lake-sources of Central Africa, and the supply of water is derived exclusively from Abyssinia.

The two grand affluents of Abyssinia are, the Blue Mle and the Atbara, which join the main stream respectively in !N". lat. 15° 30' and 17'' 37'. These rivers, although streams of extreme grandeur during the period of the Abyssinian rains, from the middle of June until September, are reduced during the dry months to utter insignificance; the Blue Nile becoming so shallow as to be unnavigable, and the Atbara perfectly dry. At that time the water supply of Abyssinia having ceased, Egypt depends solely upon the equatorial lakes and the

PREFACE. ix

affluents of the White Mle, until the rainy season shall again have flooded the two great Abyssinian arteries. That flood occurs suddenly about the 20th of June, and the grand rush of water pouring down the Blue Nile and the Atbara into the parent channel, inundates Lower Egypt, and is the cause of its extreme fertility.

Not only is the inundation the effect of the Abyssinian rains, but the deposit of mud that has formed the Delta, and which is annually precipitated by the rising waters, is also due to the Abyssinian streams, more especially to the river Atbara, which, known as the Bahr el Aswat (Black Eiver), carries a larger proportion of soil than any other tributary of the Nile; therefore, to the Atbara, above all other rivers, must the wealth and fertility of Egypt be attributed.

It may thus be stated : The equatorial lakes feed Egypt ; but the Abyssinian rivers cause the inundation.

This being a concise summary of the Nile system, I shall describe twelve months' exploration, during which I examined every individual river that is tributary to the Nile from Abyssinia, including the Atbara, Settite, Royan, Salaam, Angrab, Eahad, Dinder, and the Blue Nile. The interest attached to these portions of Africa differs entirely from that of the White Nile regions, as the whole of Upper Egypt and Abyssinia is capable of development, and is inhabited by races either Mohammedan or Christian; while Central Africa is peopled by

X PREFACE,

a hopeless race of savages, for whom there is no prospect of civilization.

The exploration of the Nile tributaries of Abyssinia occupied the first twelve months of my journey towards the Mle sources. During this time, I had the opportunity of learning Arabic and of studying the character of the people ; both necessary acquirements, which led to my ultimate success in reaching the "Albert I^'yanza." As the readers of the work of that title are aware, I was accompanied throughout the entire journey by my wife, who, with extraordinary hardihood and devotion, shared every difficulty with which African travel is beset.

Chapter I. Above The Cataract

Sterility — Arrival at Korosko — Twenty-six Days from Cairo — The Nubian Desert — Nature's Pyramids — Volcanic Bombs — The Stony Sea — The Camel's Grave — The Crows of Moorahd— A delicious Draught — Rocks of the Desert — The perished Regiment — Arrival at the Nile — Distance from Korosko — Gazelles of the Desert — Dryness of the Atmosphere — Arrival at Berber — Halleem Effendi's Garden — Halleem gives Advice — The Nile rising — Visit of the Ladies — The Pillars of Sand — The Governor's Friendship — Save me from my Friends Page 1 — 18.

Chapter II

The Cairo Dragoman Mahomet — Mahomet forsakes his Pistols— The Route to the Atbara— The Dry Bed of the River — The Dome Palm — Preparation of the Fruit — Pools of the Atbara — Collection of Birds— Charms of the Desert — SuflFering of Men and Beasts — CoUodabad — Hippopotamus kills the Arab — Daring Feat of tlie Fish-Eagle — Hippopotamus-shooting — Hippopotami bagged — Delight of the Arabs — Fishing — Catch a Tartar — Lose my Turtle Soup — Gazelle-shooting — The Speed of the Gazelle— Preparation of Water-skins — Tanning the Hides— Shoot a Crocodile — The River comes down — The mighty Stream of the Atbara — Change in the Season Page 19 — 38.

5di CONTENTS,

CHAPTEK III.

WILD ASSES OP THE DESERT.

My First and Last — Appetite for raw Meat — The Bishareen Arabs— Gozerajup — The First Kain — Limits of the Desert — The Hadeiidowa Arabs — The Wells of Soojalup — Antelopes — Antelope Stalking — Arab Migrations — The Arab's Prayer — The Barren Women — ^Difficulty in fording the River Gash — Arrive at Cassala — Hospitality of the Greek Merchant Page 39 — 50.

OHAPTEE IV.

ROUTE FROM CASSALA TO SOUAKIM.

Facilities of the Port of Souakim — Fortifi.cations of Cassala — Conquest of Nubia — Cruel Taxation — Extreme Cheapness of Corn — Cultivation of Cereals — Arab Bread — Military Position of Cassala — The Base— Prepare to start from Cassala — Mahomet's Family Tree — Mahomet meets Relations — We cross the Gash — Stalking the Ariel — Bagged the Game — Descent of Vultures — Change of Scenery — The Source of the Delta — The Parent of Egypt.

CHAPTER V. *

THE STORM.

Cotton Farm of Malem Georgis — Ferocious Crocodiles — Shoot a Monster — ^The Public Enemy — Resistance of a Crocodile's Scales — ^Discover Gold — Heavy Action of the Camel — El Baggar selects a Hygeen — The Easy-goer, suitable for a Lady — Hooked Thorns of the Mimosa — We charge a Kittar Bush — The Scorpion's Strug — Sudden Deluge — A Regiment of Scorpions — Valley of the Atbara — The Migration of Camels— A Milk Diet— The Arab Exodus— The Desert Patriarch . Page 63—76.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER VI.

SHEIK ACHMET ABOU SINN.

The Arab Welcome — Abou Sinn's Advice — Arab Tribes of Nubia — A Hint to Octogenarians — Tlie Arab Pomade — The Arab Lady's Perfumery— The fatal Mixture— The Coiffure of the World— The Arab Woman's Head-dress — " The Dust became Lice through all Egypt"— The Arab Charms— The Rabat or Arab Kilt— Arab Weddings — No Divorce Court — ^Anointing with Oil — Nomadic Habits of the Arabs — ^Unchanging Customs of the Arabs — The Hand of God — Religion of the Arabs Page 77 — 91.

CHAPTER VIT.

THE DEPARTURE.

First-class Hygeens— Travellmg Arrangements — The Evening Bivouac — The Junction of the Settite River — Sheik Atalan Wat Said — Abyssinian Frontier — Ismael Pasha burnt alive — Mek Nimmur — The Enemy of Egypt — Arrival at Sofi — The Reception— Position of Sofi— Florian, the German Settler— The Cattle Fly— Peculiarities of the Seasons — The New Camp — I become a Householder — Arrangement of our Establishment — My "Baby" — An African Elysium— No Pipe !— The Elements at Work . . Page 91—106.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT.

Go into Half Mourning— " Child of the Fever"— The Arab M.D.— Arab Fondness for Relics — The Pest Spots of the World — The Dangers of Holy Shrines — Arrival of the Holy Body — The Faky's Grave — Arab Doctoring — Delights of Arab Surgery — The Pig and the Koran — Sword Hunters of the Hamran Arabs — The Arab Shields — Hints for carrying the Sword — Keenness of the Edge — Arab Swordsmanship — The Aggageers — Elephant-hunting with the

CONTENTS.

Sword — Arab disabled by his own Sword — Maria Theresa — Great Failure — The Baboons and the Crocodile^The drowned Elephant — Game on the East Bank — Capabilities of the Soil — Tanning of Leather — Native Baskets and Matting — Bacheet is too attentive — " Oh Bacheet ! you Ignoramus ! " — Ferocity of the Seroot Fly — Cross the Atbara — The Impromptu Eaft — Stalking Giraffes — Within Eange— The First Rush of the Herd— The Retreat of the Giraffes — Death of the Giraffes — Passage of the River — The Giraffe Sentry — A difficult Stalk — The Seroot Fly takes possession — Giraffe Steaks — A Hunt for the T^tel — Floating Meat across a River — Buoy for Men and Cargo — Scare the Crocodiles — The Lions devour the Giraffe — Arab Music — Arrange to cross the River Fage 106—139.

CHAPTER IX

FORM A. RAFT WITH THE SPONGING BATH.

The Impromptu Ferry — Achmet is tempted by Satan — Mahomet's Relative absconds — End of the Rainy Season — The Seroot Fly disappears — The " Till " — Preparations for Fishing — " That was a Monster ! " — The " Bayard " — Masara the Slave — Cross the Peninsula to Settite — Jungle Cooking — A miserable Night — Shoot badly — Fishing in the Atbara — A good Run — ^Another Monster — Bacheet lands him — The Baboons visit us — The Coor — Wild Vegetables — Death of Atalan Wat Said — Catch a Baggar — Fishsalting — The Arbour Page 140 — 157.

CHAPTER X.

A PEW NOTES AT EHETILLA.

Fire the Valley — Arrival of Birds — Seized by a Crocodile — Audacity of the Buzzard— The Abomination of Thorns — Boa Constrictor — The Baboons hunt for Berries — Masses of small Birds — Cunning of the Crocodile — Method of seizing its Prey — Horse-dealing — Arab Saddles and Bits— Arrive at Sherif el Ibrahim — Arrived at the Settite — Recall of Mahomet — Sheik Achmet Wat el N^gur — Mansfield Parkyns — Advantages of a " Sweet Name " — Elephants

CONTENTS. XV

destroy the Crops — An Invitation to shoot — The Hippo challenges Bacheet — A good Shot — A Eush at the Carcase — Elephants at Night— Kill an Elephant Page 157—174.

CHAPTER XI.

THE FORD.

Girls carried away by the Rapids — An amphibious Arab Girl — Search for the drowned Girl — The Corpse recovered — Thp Sheik lays down the Law — "The Fact is simply impossible"^ — The Sheik's Idea of Matrimony— The Duties of his Four Wives — The Maimed, the Halt, and the Blind — The Arab Fakeers or Priests—" All the Same with a little Difference "—The Cure for Frendeet — Arrival at Katariff — The Market Day — Scenes at the Fair — Custom of scarifying the Cheeks— The Galla Slave — Purchase her Freedom — Singular Misunderstanding — Mahomet's Explanation — Mek iNTimraur invades the Frontier — Mek Nimmur's Tactics — Insecurity of the Country — Mek Nimmur sends me his Compliments — Roder Sheriff's withered Arm — The Aggageers — Mixture for Bullets — We make Arrowroot — Florian's Hunter — Arrive at Geera — Follow a Herd of Elephants — Track up the Elephants — A tremendous Crash — A critical Position — The Forehead Shot — The Half-pound Explosive Shell — Recover my old wounded Elephant — Fraternize with the Sword Hunters . . Page 175 — 200.

CHAPTER XII.

OLD NEPTUNE JOINS THE PARTY.

The Arab Centaurs — WUd Arab Horsemanship — Discipline of the Gun-bearers — Off goes the Gun, and its Master ! — Ombr^ga (Mother of the Thorn) — Leopard springs into the Camp — The Dog carried off— The BuU Elephant— The Forehead Shot fails— The Mountain Chain of Abyssinia — A Hunt after a Herd of Baboons — The Prisoners — A Course after a Tetel — The Cry of Buffaloes — We hunt and capture — The Baboons take leave — The Valley of the Settite — The Bull Buffalo — The Island Camp — Mahomet hears the Lions —Tales of the Base Page 201—215.

xvi CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE LIONS FIND THE BUFFALO.

We seek an Introduction — The Start of the Sword Hunters — The Bull Elephant — The " Baby " screams at him — The Fight, Sword in Hand — Abou Do's Blade tastes Blood — We find the Herd — Jali leads the Party — The Forehead Shot fairly proved — The Charge of the Phalanx — My " Baby " kicks viciously — Abou Do slashes the Sinew — The Boar wounds Richam — Old Moosa, the Sorcerer — Neptune and his Trident — The Beauty of the Settite — Borders of the River — The Hippopotamus Hunter — The Hippo is harpooned — A Cheer for Old Neptune — Death of the Hippopotamus — Character of Hippopotami — Habits of the Hippopotamus — Its Activity Pa^e 251— 232.

CHAPTER XIV.

A FOREBODING OF EVIL.

Jali's Thigh is broken — Abou Do saves JaH — Extraordinary Dexterity — Jungle Surgery — We lose our best Man — My Tokrooris determine to desert — A little Diplomacy is required — The Sick are dosed — '^ Embrace him ! '' cried old Moosa — We become staunch Friends — Abou Do's Weaknesses — The Baobab — The Crop of Gum Arabic —The Rhinoceros— Now for a " Tally Ho ! "—The Hunt— Close to their Tails — " A Horse ! a Horse ! my Kingdom for a Horse ! " — The last Moment — Difficulty of Hunting — Power of Scent — Horns of the Rhinoceros — Peculiarity of the Rhinoceros — Rhinoceros Snare — Barrake poisons herself — Attractive Food for Elephants — Florian killed by a Lion — Gloomy Prediction.

CHAPTER XV.

ANTELOPES ON THE SETTITE.

The Camp at Delladilla — Trionis Nilotica — Fish linked to Reptiles — Scenes on the River's Margin— The Nellut {A. IStrepsiceros) — Swimming Rivers with a Horse— The Lion — The Liou Hunt — The Escape— The Bull Buffalo —Death of the Bull- The Arabs'

CONTENTS. -xvli

Tit-bi1>— The Arab Plan for making Fire— The Mehedehet Antelope — Sauve qui pent! — Nearly caught — Fire clears the Country — Discretion the better Part of Valour — The Camp in Danger — Nearly burnt out — Crocodile harpooning — The ugly little Statue — Harpooning the Hippopotamus — The Harpoon fixed — The Hippo determines to fight — The Lauces are blunted — Hor Mehetape — Geological Feati«es — Unpleasant Report of the Spies.

CHAPTER XVI.

ABOU DO IS GREEDY.

Departure of the Aggageers — Game returning from the River —A Bull Rhinoceros — We stalk the Rhinoceros — The Death — The Aggageers poach upon my Manor — Their Prize dies — Taher Noor faces the Lion — We start fresh Game — A curious Shot — Bait for the Lions — Highly exciting — My Tokrooris don't like the Lion — The dying Lioness — Brought into Camp — Difficulty in tracking the Lions — The Lion visits our Camp — Vis a vis with a Lion — ^A Surprise — Tetel faces the wounded Lion — Wonderful Courage of the Horse — Lions' Claws worn as a Charm — We commence Soap-boiling ■^— Savon a la Bete feroce — We bury poor Barrak6. Page 272 — 289.

CHAPTER XVII.

WE REACH THE ROTAN.

Hor Mai Gubba — The Francohn Partridge — We watch for Game — Out with the Aggageers — The Banks of the Royan — We find a Bull Elephant — Helter-skelter — The Elephant at Bay — Roder with the withered Arm — The Sword wins the Day — The nimble Bas6 dine cheaply — The great Whirlpool — The Royan Junction with the Settite — A Bull Rhinoceros — Bacheet has to run — Visit to Mek Nimmur — Our Arabs decline to proceed — Obliged to threaten the Camels — The Troop on a Foray — Narrow Escape — The Rifle bursts — We march from the Settite — Interesting Route — Mineral Wealth of Abyssinia — Present to Mek Nimmur — The Abyssinian Minstrel — Richard Cceur de Lion — I part with my dear Maria Theresa — The Ghost of the departed Fiddler

h xYiii CONTENTS.

—The "Lay of the Last Minstrel "—My Introduction to Mek Nimniur — The Eeception — The poisonous Stream — Unfortunate Contretemps — Nimmur behaves like a Gentleman — Pharaoh's lean Kine Fage 289—313.

CHAPTEE XVIII.

A CAMEL FALLS, AND DISS.

Arabs consume the Eaw Flesh— Arrival at the Bahr Salaam — Character of the Torrents — The Junction of the Angrab — Good Sport — Four lucky Hits — A Fall over a Cliff— We save the Camel — ■ Narrow Escape — The Hyeena enters the Tent — Hippotragus Baherii — The Base of the Abyssinian Alps — Delightful Country — Follow a Herd of Elephants — Aggahr takes tlie Lead — Fall at the Feet of Elephants — Benighted on our Return to Camp— " All's wellthat ends well" Pa^e 314— 326.

CHAPTER XIX.

SEND A PARTY TO RECONNOITRE.

Ahead of the Camels— The Maarif— View from the Peak— The Rhinoceros attacks the Horse — The BuUet saves him— Arrival of the Horses — The Rhinoceros Hunt — Ridden to bay — Arrival of Birds ot Prey — Habits of Vultures — The JMarabou Stork — Sight, not Scent, directs the Vulture — Abou Seen — "Last but not least'* — Route to 1\ alioot Guddabi — Arrive at the Atbara — Last View of the Atbara — The Atbara Exploration completed . Fage 327 — 338.

CHAPTER XX.

ARRIVAL AT METEMMA, OR GALLABAT.

Poisonous Water — The Trade of Abyssinia — We encounter Missionaries — The theological Blacksmith — The Missionaries' Medicine- Chest — Jemma, Sheik of the Tokrooris— The Egyptians' attack upon Gallabat — Settlement of the Tokrooris — Industry of the Tokrooris — Weapons, Type, and Character — The Colonization by Tokrooris — Honey Wine of Abyssinia — All drunk last Night — Distance

CONTENTS. xix

from an Act of Parliament — We leave Gallabat — A Row with the Tokrooris — I settle the Tokroori Champion — A real flat-nosed African Nigger — Death of Aggahr and Gazelle — Forced March to the Rahad— The Eiver Eahad Fage 339—354.

CHAPTER XXL

FERTILITY OF THE COUNTRY ON THE BANKS OF THE RAHAD.

Journey along the Rahad — Rich Country — We cross over to the Dinder — Ferocity of Crocodiles in that River — Character of the Dinder — Activity of the African Elephant — ^Distinction of Species — Peculiarity of Form — African and Indian Elephants — Destruction of Forests — Elephant's Foot a Luxury — Preservation of Flesh and Fat for the March — Preparation of Bread for a Journey — The Bos Caffer — The most formidable Animals — Rifles for wild Countries — Sundry Hints — Bullets for large Game — Antelopes of Central Africa and Abyssinia Fage 354 — 369.

CHAPTER XXII.

WE LEAVE THE DINDER.

Curious Hunting Party — Character of Abyssinian Rivers — Borassus jEthiopicus — Rufaar and the Arab Sheik — The Blue Nile — The very gentlemanly Faky — Regularly "sold" — Arrival at Khartoum — The British Lion — The Zoological Collection — The Ostriches invite themselves to Tea — I intercede for ISIek Nimmur — King Theodore's Ultimatum — Climate of the Soudan — The Sageer or Water-wheel — Uncontrolled Action of the Nile — Suggestions for the Irrigation of Egypt — Whj should not Science create a Delta ? — A Series of Weii's upon the Nile — The Benefits to Egypt and to Civilization — Ancient Works of Irrigation in Ceylon — Industrious Population of Egypt — Capabilities for producing Cotton — The Great Sahara— The Race of Life — Prepare to discover the White Nile Source Fage 370—389.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

From Original Sketches hy Sir S. "W. Baker.

PAGE

PORTRAITS ............... Frontispiece

GAZELLE-STALKING IN THE DESERT 12

THE DESERT JOURNEY 67

THE SEROOT FLY 126

EIRST RUSH OF THE GIRAFFES 130

THE BAYARD . , . 146

THE COOR 153

THE BAGGAR 156

QUARREL OVER A HIPPOPOTAMUS 172

ARABS ATTACKING THE ELEPHANT WITH THE SWORD 219

THE RHINOCEROS HUNT. TAHER SHERIFF LEADS 244

HEAD OF THE BLACK RHINOCEROS ' . , . 246

HORNS OF THE MAARIF ANTELOPE 261

THE RHINOCEROSES HAYE IT ALL THEIR OWN WAY 262

HARPOONING THE CROCODILE 267

HARPOONING THE HIPPOPOTAMUS 268

THE FIGHT WITH THE BULL HIPPO 269

GAME RETURNING FROM THE RIVER 273

THE DYING LIONESS 282

CLOSE QUARTERS WITH THE LION 284

THE SWORD WINS THE DAY 296

THE WHIRLPOOL AT THE ROYAN JUNCTION 298

HEAD OF MEHEDEHET (72. Elli'psiprymna) 318

UNPROVOKED ATTACK OF A RHINOCEROS UPON THE HORSE . . . 830

THE RHINOCEROS RIDDEN TO BAY ' 332

THE

NILE TRIBUTAEIES OF ABYSSINIA,

AND THE

SWOED HLmXERS OF THE HAMRA.N ARABS.

CHAPTEE I.

ABOVE THE CATARACT.

Without troubling the public with a description of that portion of the Nile to the north of the first cataract, or with a detailed account of the Egyptian ruins, that have been visited by a thousand tourists/ I will commence by a few extracts from my journal, written at the close of the boat voyage from Cairo : —

''May 8, 1861.— ^o air. The thermometer 104° Eahr. ; a stifling heat. Becalmed, we have been lying the entire day below the ruins of Philse. These are the most imposing monuments of the Mle, owing to their peculiar situation upon a rocky island that commands the passage of the river above the cataract. The banks of the stream are here hemmed in by ranges of hills from 100 to 250 feet high ; these are entirely destitute of soil, being composed of enormous masses of red granite, piled block upon block, the rude masonry of Nature that has walled in the river. The hollows between the hills are choked with a yellow sand, which, drifted by the wind, has, in many instances, completely iilled the narrow valleys. Upon either side of the Nile are vestiges of ancient forts. The land appears as

B

2 STERILITY. [chap. i.

tliougli it bore the curse of Heaven ; misery, barrenness, and the heat of a furnace are its features. The glowingrocks, devoid of a trace of vegetation, reflect the sun with an intensity that must be felt to be understood. The miserable people who dwell in villages upon the river's banks snatch every sandbank from the retiringstream, and immediately plant their scanty garden with melons, gourds, lentils, &c. this being their only resource for cultivation. Not an inch of available soil is lost ; but day by day, as the river decreases, fresh rows of vegetables are sown upon the newly -acquired land. At Assouan, the sandbanks are purely sand brought down by the cataracts, therefore soil must be added to enable the people to cultivate. They dig earth from the ruins of the ancient town ; this they boat across the river and spread upon the sandbank, by which excessive labour they secure sufficient mould to support their crops.

In the vicinity of Philse the very barrenness of the scenery possesses a charm. The iron-like sterility of the granite rocks, naked except in spots where the wind has sheeted them with sand ; the groves of palms springing unexpectedly into view in this desert wilderness, as a sudden bend of the river discovers a village; the ever blue and never clouded sky above, and, the only blessing of this blighted land, the Nile, silently flowing between its stern walls of rocks towards the distant land of Lower Egypt, form a total that produces a scene to be met with nowhere but upon the Nile. In this miserable spot the unfortunate inhabitants are taxed equally with those of the richer districts — about fivepence annually for each date palm.

" May 9. — A good breeze, but tremendous heat. Although the floor and the curtains of the cabin are continually wetted, and the Venetian blinds are closed, the thermometer, at 4 P.M., stood at 105° in the shade ; and upon deck, 137^ in the sun. This day we passed the ruins of several small temples. The country is generally rocky, with intervals of ten or twelve miles of desert plains.

Chap. I.] Arrival At Korosko. 3

" May 10. — Fine breeze, the boat sailing well. Passed several small temples. The henna grows in considerable quantities on the left bank of the river. The leaf resembles that of the myrtle ; the blossom has a powerful fragrance ; it gTows like a feather, about eighteen inches long, forming a cluster of small yellow flowers. The day pleasantly cool ; thermometer, 95°.

" May 11. — At 5 a.m. we arrived at Korosko ; lat. 22" 50' IST. ; the halting-place for all vessels from Lower Egypt w^ith merchandise for the Soudan."

At this wretched spot the Nile is dreary beyond description, as a vast desert, unenlivened by cultivation, forms its borders, through which the melancholy river rolls towards Low^er Egypt in the cloudless glare of a tropical sun. Erom whence came this extraordinary stream that could flow through these burning sandy deserts, unaided by tributary channels ? That was the mysterious question as we stepped upon the shore now, to commence our land journey in search of the distant sources. We climbed the steep sandy bank, and sat down beneath a solitary sycamore.

We had been tw^enty-six days sailing from Cairo to this point. The boat returned, and left us on the east bank of the Mle, mth the great Nubian desert before us.

Korosko is not rich in supplies. A few miserable Arab huts, with the usual fringe of dusty date palms, compose the village ; the muddy river is the frontier on the w^est, the burning desert on the east. Thus hemined in, Korosko is a narrow strip of a few yards' width on the margin of the Nile, with only one redeeming feature in its wretchedness- — the green shade of the old sycamore beneath which we sat.

I had a firman from the Viceroy, a cook, and a dragoman. Thus my impedimenta were not numerous. The firman was an order to all Egyptian of&cials for assistance ; the cook was dirt}^ and incapable ; and the interpreter was nearlv ignorant of English, although a ])rofessed polyglot. With this small beginning, Africa was before me, and thus I commenced the search for

b2

4 THE NUBIAN DESERT. [chap. i.

the Nile sources. Absurd as tliis may appear, it was a correct commencement. Ignorant of Arabic, T could not have commanded a large party, who would have been at the mercy of the interpreter or dragoman ; thus, the first qualification necessary to success was a knowledge of the language.

After a delay of some days, I obtained sixteen camels from the sheik. I had taken the precaution to provide water-barrels, in addition to the usual goat- skins ; and, with a trustworthy guide, we quitted Korosko on the 16th May, 1861, and launched into the desert.

The route from Korosko across the Nubian desert cuts off the chord of an arc made by the great westerly bend of the Mle. This chord is about 230 miles in length. Throughout this barren desert there is no water, except at the half-way station, Moorahd (from moorra, bitter) ; this, although salt and bitter, is relished by camels. During the hot season in which we unfortunately travelled, the heat was intense, the thermometer ranging from 106° to 114° Fahr, in the shade. The parching blast of the simoom was of such exhausting power, that the water rapidly evaporated from the closed water-skins. It was, therefore, necessary to save the supply by a forced march of seven days, in which period we were to accomplish the distance, and to reach Abou Hammed, on the southern bend of the welcome Mle.

During the cool months, from November until February, the desert journey is not disagreeable; but the vast area of glowing sand exposed to the scorching sun of summer, in addition to the withering breath of the simoom, renders the forced march of 230 miles in seven days, at two and a half miles per hour, the most fatiguing journey that can be endured.

Farewell to the Nile ! We turned our backs upon the life-giving river, and our caravan commenced the silent desert march.

A few hours from Korosko the misery of the scene surpassed description. Glowing like a furnace, the vast extent of yellow sand stretched to the horizon. Rows of broken hills, all of volcanic origin, broke the flat plain.