Bound for Khartoum Once More 



with numberless bays, embellished by fantastic 

 headlands, and dotted with countless islands. A 

 few miles away the bed of the waters became 

 lost among mountains, or was wrapped in the 

 masses of vapours that came slowly rolling along 

 their bosom before a light morning breeze. But 

 a narrow opening in the crest of the hills pointed 

 out the passage by which the waters found their 

 way still further north, there to spread their pure 

 and ample sheets again in the sudd country. To 

 the south lay Dufile, lately evacuated, with its 

 palm trees and its ruined houses. For several 

 miles in this direction the mountains appeared 

 reluctant to yield their dominion, but, within 

 reach of the eye, they diverged, and finally 

 melted into the level and sandy lands across 

 which we had accompanied our guide. Along 

 both ranges of hills which bounded the opposite 

 side of the river and valley clouds of light 

 vapour were either rising in spiral wreaths from 

 the uninhabited woods, looking like the smoke 

 of hidden cottages, or rolling lazily down the 

 declivities to mingle with the fogs of the lower 

 lands. The country had been cleared of wood 

 for a considerable distance round, as a village lay 

 at our feet, but every other part of the scene 

 wore the green livery of nature, except where 

 the limpid water mellowed the view, or the bold 

 rocks thrust their black and naked heads above 

 the undulating outline of the mountain ranges. 

 R 241 



