THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 559 



This phsenomenon of the fimoom, unexpedled by uSj 

 though forefeen by Idris, caufed us all to relapfe into our 

 former defpondency. It Hill continued to blow, fo as to ex- 

 hauft us entirely, though the blaft was fo weak as fcarcely 

 would have raifed a leaf from the ground. At twenty mi- 

 nutes before five the fimoom ceafed, and a comfortable and 

 cooling breeze came by Harts from the north, blowing 

 five or fix minutes at a time, and then falling calm. We 

 were now come to the Acaba, the afcent before we arrive d 

 at Chiggre, where we intended to have fiopt that night , 

 but we all moved on with tacit confcnt, nor did one perfon 

 pretend to fay how far he guefled we were to go. 



At thirteen minutes paft eight we alighted in a fandy 

 plain abfolutely without herbage, covered with loofe ftonesi 

 a quarter of a mile due north of the well, which is in the 

 narrow gorge, forming the fouthern outlet of this fmall 

 plain. Though we had travelled thirteen hours and a quar- 

 ther this day, it was but at a flow pace, our camels being 

 famiflied, as well as tired, and lamed likewife by the fliarp 

 Hones with which the ground in all places was covered. 

 The country, for three days paft, had been deftitute of 

 herbage of any kind, entirely defert, and abandoned to 

 moving fands. We faw this day, after pafling Ras el Seah, 

 large blocks and ftrata of pure white marble, equal to any 

 in colour that ever came from Paros, 



Chiggre is a fmall narrow valley, ciofely covered up and 

 furrounded with barren rocks. The wells are ten in num* 

 ber, and the narrow gorge which opens to them is not 

 ten yards broad. The fprings, however, are very abundant; 

 Wherever a pit is dug five or fix feet deep, it is immediate- 

 ly 



