THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 597 



than thofc that were at the ford, and they believe in nothing 



that you believe, but only in this river, to which they pray 



every day as if it were God ; but this perhaps you may do 



likewife." Half undreffed as I was by lofs of my fafli, and 



throwing my (hoes off, I ran down the hill towards the little 



ifland of green lbds, which was about two hundred yards 



dittant ; the whole fide of the hill was thick grown over 



with flowers, the large bulbous roots of which appearing 



above the furface of the ground, and their (kins coming 



off on treading upon them, occafioned two very fevere 



falls before I reached the brink of the marfh ; I after this 



came to the ifland of green turf, which was in form of 



an altar, apparently the work of art, and I flood in rapture 



over the principal fountain which rifes in the middle of it. 



It is eafier to guefs than to defcribe the fituation of my 

 mind at that moment— Handing in that fpot which had baf- 

 fled the genius, induitry, and inquiry of both ancients and 

 moderns, for the courfe of near three thoufand years. Kings 

 had attempted this difcovery at the head of armies, and 

 each expedition was diflinguifhed from the laft, only by 

 the difference of the numbers which had perifhed, and a- 

 greed alone in the difappointment which had uniformly,.. 

 and without exception, followed them all. Fame, riches, 

 and honour, had been held out for a feries of ages to every 

 individual of thofe myriads thefe princes commanded, with- 

 out having produced one man capable of gratifying the 

 curiofity of his fovereign, or wiping off this flain upon 

 the enterprife and abilities of mankind, or adding this de- 

 fideratum for the encouragement of geography. Though 

 a mere private Briton, I triumphed here, in my own mind, , 

 over kings and their armies; and every comparifon was 



leading. 



