572 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



This, known by the name of the Firft Cataract of the Nile, 

 did not by its appearance come up to the idea we had form- 

 ed of it, being fcarce fixteen feet in height, and about fixty 

 yards over ; but in many places the meet of water is inter- 

 rupted, and leaves dry intervals of rock. The fides are nei- 

 ther fo woody nor verdant as thofeofthe cataract of the AfTar; 

 and it is in every fhape lefs magnificent, or deferving to be 

 feen, than is the noble cataract at Alata before defcribed, 

 erroneoufly called the Second Cataract ; for below this there 

 is a water-fall, nearly weft of the church of Bofkon Abbo, 

 not much above the place where we fwam our horfes o- 

 ver in May, and lefs than this firft cataract of which I am 

 fpeaking, and nearer the fource ; there is another ftill 

 fmaller before the Nile joins the river Gumetti, after falling 

 from the plains of Sacala ; and there are feveral ftill fmaller 

 between the fountains and the junction of the Nile with 

 the river Davola ; thefe laft mentioned, however, are very 

 infignincant, and appear only when the Nile is low : in the 

 rainy feafon, when the river is full, they fcarcely are dif- 

 tinguifhed by ruffling the water as it pafles. 



Having fatisfied my curiofity at this cataract, I galloped 

 back the fame road that I had come, without having feen a 

 fingle perfon fince I left Goutto. Fafil's horfe went very 

 pleafuntly, he did not like the fpur, indeed, but he did not 

 need it. On our arrival we found a cow upon the point of 

 being killed ; there was no appearance of any fuch to be 

 found when I fet out for the cataract, but the diligence and 

 fagacity of Woldo had overcome that difficulty. By a par- 

 ticular manner of crying through his hands applied to his 

 mouth, he had contrived to make fome beafts anfwer him, 



who 



