THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 437 



myfelf out of them, or, even if I loft my life, of the account 

 being conveyed to my friends at home ; the great and un- 

 reafonable preemption which had led me to think that, 

 after every one that had attempted this voyage had mifcar- 

 ried in it, I was the only perlbn that was to fucceed ; all 

 thefe refledions upon my mind, when relaxed, dozing, and 

 half oppreffed with fleep, filled my imagination with whirl 

 have heard other people call the horrors, the mod difagreea- 

 ble fenfation I ever was confcious of, and which I then felt 

 for the firft time. Impatient of fuffering any longer, I leap- 

 ed out of bed, and went to the door of the tent, where the 

 outward air perfeftly awakened me,and reftored my ftrength 

 and courage. All was ftill, and at a diftance I faw feveral 

 bright fires, but lower down, and more to the right than I 

 expe&ed, which made me think I was miftaken in the fiti*- 

 ation of Karcagna. It was then near four in the morning 

 of the 25th. I called up my companions, happily buried in 

 deep fleep, as I was defirous, if pofiible, to join the king 

 that day. We accordingly were three or four miles from 

 Derdera when the fun rofe ; there had been little rain that 

 night, and we found very few torrents on our way; but it. 

 was flippery, and uneafy walking, the rich foil being trod- 

 den into a confluence like pafte. 



About feven o'clock we entered upon the broad plain of 

 Maitfha, and were fall leaving the lake. Here the country- 

 is, at leaf! a great pant of it, in tillage, and had been, in ap- 

 pearance, covered with plentiful crops, but all was cut down 

 by the army for their horfes, or trodden under foot, from 

 careleflhefs or vengeance, fo that a green blade-could fcarce* 

 ly be feen. We faw a number of people this day, chiefly 

 fkaggling foldiers, who, in parties of threes and fours, had 



been 1 



