THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 425 



merits of the parapets remained, and the bridge itfelf feem- 

 ed to bear the appearance of frequent repairs, and many at- 

 tempts to ruin it ; otherwife, in its conftruction, it was ex- 

 ceedingly commodious. The Nile here is confined between 

 two rocks, and runs in a deep trough, with great roaring and 

 impetuous velocity. We were told no crocodiles were ever 

 feen fo high, and were obliged to remount the ftream above 

 half a mile before we came to the cataract, through trees 

 and buihes of the fame beautiful and delightful appearance 

 with thofe we had feen near Dara. 



The cataract itfelf was the mod magnificent fight that 

 ever I beheld. The height has been rather exaggerated. 

 The miflionaries fay the fall is about fixteen ells, or fifty 

 feet. The meafuring is, indeed, very difficult, but, by the 

 pofition of long flicks, and poles of different lengths, at dif- 

 ferent heights of the rock, from the water's edge, I may 

 venture to fay that it is nearer forty feet than any other 

 mcafure. The river had been confiderably increafed by 

 rains, and fell in one lheet of water, without any interval, 

 above half an Englilli mile in breadth, with a force and 

 noife that was truly terrible, and which flunned and made 

 me, for a time, perfectly dizzy. A thick fume, or haze, co- 

 vered the fall all round, and hung over the courfe of tire 

 ftream both above and below, marking its track, though 

 the water was not feen. The river, though fwelled with 

 rain, preferved its natural ciearnefs, and fell, as far as I could 

 difcern, into a deep pool, or bafon, in the folid rock, which 

 was full, and in twenty different eddies to the very foot of 

 the precipice, the ftream, when it fell, feeming part of it 

 to run back with great fury upon the rock, as well as for- 



Vol. III. 3 H ward 



