108 Dr. Beke on the Sources of the Nile. 



which joins the Nile from the west, and is described as being 

 a magnificent stream, with a tolerably rapid current. 



It will be observed, however, that by Ptolemy the main 

 stream of the Nile is laid down as consisting of two principal 

 arms, the junction of which is placed by him in the second 

 parallel of north latitude, or nearly seven degrees to the south 

 of where the junction of the three principal arms actually takes 

 place. In order to prevent misunderstanding, it is proper to 

 direct attention to the fact, that I am not alluding here to the 

 confluence of the Bahr el Abyad and Bahr el Azrek— the 

 White and Blue Rivers — which are commonly but erroneously 

 called the White and Blue Niles. This confluence takes place 

 at Khartum in 15° 37' N. lat. ; and, as it will be plainly seen, 

 it is merely the junction of the Astapuswith the Nilus. Pto- 

 lemy's bifurcation of the Nile is, on the contrary, formed by 

 the union of the Sobat, or River of Habesh, with the White 

 River, in 9° 20' N. lat., more than six degrees of latitude to 

 the south of Khartum. It is important to bear this in mind ; 

 as one of the most fertile sources of error in the consideration 

 of this subject, has been the regarding of the Blue River, or 

 " Bruce's Nile" as it is frequently called, as one of the main 

 arms of Ptolemy's Nile, which it manifestly is not. 



Turning now to the east coast of Africa, our first point is 

 to identify the island of Menuthias; and though the subject 

 is not altogether free from difficulties, the greatest amount 

 of probability is certainly in favour of the island of Zan- 

 zibar. As it is essential to the investigation of the subject 

 that we should advance from some fixed point, it shall be 

 assumed that the identity of Zanzibar with Menuthias is esta- 

 blished. And such being the case, it follows that the Bar- 

 barian Gulf is the bay or bight in which Zanzibar is situate; 

 and that the country of the Anthropophagi or cannibals dwell- 

 ing round this gulf, is that portion of the east coast of Africa 

 which is opposite to that island. Further, as the Mountains 

 of the Moon are stated by Ptolemy to lie on the western side 

 of this country of the Anthropophagi, and in the same latitude 

 as Menuthias^ we can have no hesitation in placing those 

 mountains somewhere in that part of the main land which, in 

 like manner, lies opposite to Zanzibar. 



If, now, we apply to these general results the knowledge 

 which we possess of the physical configuration of the plateau 

 of Eastern Africa, of which a brief outline has already been 

 given, we shall perceive that the seaward or eastern edge of 

 this plateau, when viewed from the lowlands along the shores 

 of the Indian Ocean, presents the appearance and indeed 

 possesses the character of an extensive range of lofty moun- 



