TH£ SOURCE OF THE NILS. 343 



On the 2 1 ft, we fet out from Rafhid at two o'clock in the 

 morning, and at a Uttle pall eight arrived at Imhanzara, ha- 

 vino- crone moftly N. W. to north and by wefl. This, too, is 

 a flation of the Arabs Daveina ; and there had been here 

 large pools of water, the cavities, apparently dug by the hands 

 of men, were from twenty to thirty feet deep, and not lefs 

 than fixty yards long. The water was juft then drying up; 

 and flood only about half a foot in depth, in the bottom of 

 one of the pools. The borders of the bafons were thick fet 

 with acacia and jujeb-trees ; but the fruit of the latter was 

 drying upon the ftones, and liad fallen Ihri veiled in great 

 quantities upon the ground. We gathered about a couple of 

 pecks, which was a very great refrefnment to us. The fruit, 

 though retaining a very (harp acid taile, is mixed with a 

 fweetnefs not unlike the tamarind ; and which it commu- 

 nicated to water, upon a handful of the dry fruit being rteep- 

 ed therein for half an hour. The ordinary jujeb in Bavba- 

 ry is oblong like an olive ; this is perfectly round like the 

 cherry, but Ibmethiug fmaller. The tree is thorny, and dif- 

 fers in nothing from the other, but only in the fliapc of the 

 fruit. When dried, it is of a golden colour ; and is here 

 called Nabca, being the principal fuftcnance of the Arabs, 

 till thefe pools are dry, when they are obliged to feek other 

 food, and other water, at fome more diftant flation. 



This day, being the fifth of our journey, we had gone 

 about five hours very diligently, though, confidcring the 

 weak ftate we were in, I do not think we advanced m.orc 

 than feven or eieht miles ; arad it was to me very vifible, 

 that all the animals, mules, camels, and horfes,were auecT:ed 

 as much as we were by the fimcom. They diank repeatedly,, 

 a and 



