THE SOURCE OF Tilt NILE. 51$- 



iraagine has the figure of a Hon. We now alighted near 

 half a mile from the river, in a fmall plain, where was only 

 one fhepherd with his cot and flock. At fome diflance, near 

 the river, there was a houfe or two with fakies. September 

 is the feed-time in this country. Wlien the Nile is at its. 

 height, the flat ground along the fide of the water, which 

 is about a quarter of a mile broad, is Ibwn with dora, as 

 far as water can be conducted in rills to it, but after this 

 fliort fpace, the ground rifes immediately ; there the har- 

 veft-time is in November ; and the feed-time at Sennaar is 

 in July, and their harveft in September ; both regulated by 

 the height of the Nile at the refpedive places. 



On the 2d of October, at half paft five in the morning we 

 left Hajar el Aflad ; for the two lall days paft our journey lay 

 through woods and defert, without water or villages ; we 

 refted upon the Nile, which foon receded from us. After 

 having gone about two miles we faw fome fmall houfes 

 and fakies, with narrow fliripes of corn on both fides of the 

 river. About a mile further, we began, inftead of the fandy 

 defert, to fee large ftratums of purple, red and white mar- 

 ble, and alfo alabafter. It feems as if thofe immenfe quar- 

 ries, which run into Upper Egypt 10" N. from this, firft take 

 their rife here. This day we journied through woods of 

 acacia and jujebs. At twenty minutes paft eight we alight- 

 ed in a wood to feed our camels. The fun was fo immo- 

 derately hot that we could not travel. The Nile from Ger- 

 ri declines almoft infenfibly from the E. of N. The whole 

 country is defert and without inhabitants, faving the banks 

 of the river ; for there are here no regular rains that can 

 be depended upon at any certain time for the purpofe of 

 agriculture ; only there fall violent fliowers at the time 



the 



