THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 44J 



I HAD a long converfation with the Arabs I met with at 

 Aira, and from them I learned pretty nearly the lituation 

 oir the difT^:rent clans or tribes in Atbara. Thefe were all in 

 their way northward to the refpedive countries in the fands 

 to the eaflward of Mendera and Barbar. Thefe fands, fo 

 barren and defolate the reft of the year, were beginning 

 now to be crowded with multitudes of cattle and inhabi- 

 tants. The fly, in the flat and fertile mold which compofes 

 all' the foil to the fouthward of Sennaar, had forced this 

 number of people to migrate, which they very well knew 

 was to coft them at 1-caft one half of their fubftance ; of fuch 

 confequence is the weakeft inftrument in the hand of Provi- 

 dence. The troops of Sennaar, few in number, but well 

 provided with every thing, flood ready to cut thefe people 

 off from their accefs to the fands, till every chief of a tribe 

 had given in a well-verificd inventory of liis v/hole flock, 

 and made a compofltion, at paffing, wdth Shekh Adelan. 



All fubtcrfuge was in vain. The fly, in pofTefilon of the 

 fertile country, inexorably purfued every Angle cam.el till he 

 took refuge in the fands, and fhere he was to flay till the 

 rains ceafed ; and if, in the interim, it was difcovered that 

 any concealment of number or quality had been made, they 

 were again to return in the beginning of September to their 

 old paRures ; and in this fccond palTage, any fraud, whether 

 Tcai or alkdgijd, was puniihed with great fevcrit)-. Refin- 

 ance had been often tried, and as often found inelTe^lua], 

 However great their numbers, encumbered with families 

 and baggage as they were, they had always fallen a facri- 

 fi-ce to thofe troops, well mounted and armed, that awaited 

 th^m in their way within fight of their own homes. Ar- 



3 K 2 rived " 



