THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 4^7 



Basboch is on the eallern bank of the Nile, not a quarter 

 of a mile-from the ford below. The river here runs north 

 and fouth ; towards the fides ir is fliallow, but deep in the 

 middle of the current, and in this part it is much infefted 

 with crocodiles. Sennaar is two miles and a half S. S. W. of it. 

 We heard the evening drum very diftinctly, and not with- 

 out anxiety, when we refleiSted to what a brutilh people, ac- 

 cording to all accounts, we were about to truft ouifclves. 

 The village of Aira, where the vizir Adelan had then 

 his quarters, was three miles fouth and by well. 



Next morning, the 27th, Shekh Adelan's fervant left us 

 to the charge of the Nuba, to give his mailer an account 

 of his journey, and our fafe arrival. He found Mahomet, 

 the king's fervant, our other guide, before him there, and 

 Adelan well informed of all that had pafled relating to Fi- 

 dele, though not from Mahomet ; for as loon as he began 

 to mention that he had found us at Teawa, Adelan faid in a 

 very angry lliie, " Will no one fave me the difgrace of hang- 

 ing that wretch ?" Adelan fent back his fervant to inform 

 us, that, two days afterwards, we fliould be admitted. Ma- 

 homet, the king's fervant, too, came back with him, and 

 fiaid till the evening ; then he returned to Sennaar ; but 

 he did not give us the fatisfa(ftion to tell us one word of 

 what the king had faid to him about us, or how we 

 were likely to be received, leaving us altogether in fuf- 

 pence. 



On the 29th, leave was fcnt us to enter Sennaar. It was 

 not without fome difficjiilty that we got our quadrant and 

 heavy baggage fafely carried down the hill, for the banks 

 are very fteep to the edge of the water. The intention of 



3 H 2 our 



