THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. s^^ 



drawn from this pool of Utngwat. I could not help re-^ 

 preaching Idr's with the inaccuracy of the information he 

 had pretended to give us the day before, that no party z- 

 bove ten men could meet us at any of thefc wells, as none- 

 of them could lupply water for more ; whereas in this pool 

 th€^FC was certainly enough of excellent water to ferve a 

 wliole tribe of Arabs for a month. He had little to fay, 

 further than that H timer, though near, was a fcanty well, 

 and perhaps we fhould not find water there at all. He trufl- 

 ed, however, if our people would take heart, we were our 

 of all danger from Arabs,, or any thing elfe... 



At a quarter paft three we left the well, and continued 

 along a fandy valley, which is called Waadi Umgwat. This 

 night it was told me that Georgis, and the Turk Ifmae!,> 

 were both fo ill, and fo defponding, that they had refolved 

 to purfue the journey no farther, but fubmit to their deftiny, 

 as they called it, and ftay behind and die. It was with the 

 utmoft difficulty L could get them to lay afide this refolu^ 

 tion, and the next morning I promifed they fhould ride 

 by turns upon one of the camels, a thing that none of 

 us had yet attempted. They had, indeed, often deHred me 

 to do fo, but I well knew, if I had fet them that example, 

 befides deftroying the camels, it would have- had the very 

 worft efFedt upon their daftardly fpirits ; and, indeed, we 

 very foon faw the bad efl'eCts of this humane confideraticn 

 for the two invalids. 



On the 24th, at half pall fix in the morning we left 

 Umgwat, following the windings of fandy valleys between 

 ftony hills. At half paft nine we found Mahomet Aga's 

 horfe dead, . The poor creature feemed, without a guide, ta 



have. 



