THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 415^ 



got from deep wells. Large plantations of Indian corn 

 are everywhere about the town. The inhabitants are in con^ 

 tinual apprehenfion from the Arabs Daveina at Sim Sim, 

 about 40 miles fouth-eaft from them ; and from another 

 powerful- race called Wed abd el Gin, /. e. Son of tbeJJaves of 

 the Devil, who live to the fouth-weft of them, between tho 

 Dender and the Nile. Beyla is another frontier town of 

 Sennaar, on the fide of Sim Sim ; and between Teawa and 

 this, on the Sennaar fide, and Ras el Feel, Nara, and Tchelgaj 

 upon the Abyffinian fide, all is defert and wafte, the Arabs 

 only fufFering the water to remain there without villages- 

 near it, that they and their flocks may come at certain 

 feafons while the grafs grows, and the pools or fprings fill 

 elfewhere. . 



Although Iwent early to bed with full determination 

 to fet out by day-break, yet I found it was impoffible to puc 

 my defign in execution, or get from the hands of our kind 

 landlord. One of our girbas feemed to fail, and needed to 

 be repaired. Nothing good, as he truly faid, could come 

 from the Shekh of Atbara. A violent difpute had arifen in 

 the evening, after I was gone to bed, over their bouza, be- 

 tween the king's fervant and that of Shekh Adelan. It was 

 about dividing their fees which they had received from Shekh 

 Fidele. This was carried a great length, and it was at laft a- 

 greed that it fliould be determined by the Shekh of Beyla in 

 the morning, when both of them, as might be fuppofed^ 

 Ihould have cooler heads. For my part, 1 took no thought 

 or concern about it, as no circumftance of its origin had 

 been notified to me ; but it took up fo much of our time, 

 that it was after dinner before we were. ready. 



