THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 6j 



the weft, on our right. We encamped this night on a rifing- 

 ground called Shillokeeb, where there is no water, though 

 the mountains were everywhere cut through with gullies 

 and water courfes, made by the violent rains that fall here 

 in winter. 



The 17th, we continued along the fame plain, fliil cover- 

 ed thick with acacia-trees. They were then in blofTom, had 

 a round yellow flower, but we faw no gum upon the trees. 

 Our direction had hitherto been fouth. We turned wefter- 

 ly through an opening in the mountains, which here Hand 

 fo clofe together as to leave no valley or plain fpace be- 

 tween them but what is made by the torrents, in the rainy 

 feafon, forcing their way with great violence to the fea. 



The bed of the torrent was our only road ; and, as it 

 was all fand, we could not wifli for a better. The moifturc 

 it had ilrongly imbibed protected it from the fudden effects 

 of the fun, and produced, all alongil its courfe, a great de- 

 gree of vegetation and verdure. Its banks were lull of 

 rack-trees, capers, and tamarinds ; the two laft bearing lar- 

 ger fruit than I had ever before feen, though not arrived to 

 their greatell fize or maturity. 



We continued this winding, according to the courfe of 

 the river, among mountains of no great height, but bare, 

 ftony, and full of terrible precipices. At half pafl eight 

 o'clock we halted, to avoid the heat of the fun, under made 

 of the trees before mentioned, for it was then cxceihvely 

 hot, though in the month of November, from ten in the 

 morning till two in the afternoon. We met this day with 

 large numbers of Shiho, having their wives and families 



I 2 along 



