I94 TRAVELS IN UPPER 



imminent danger which they have to encounter, is 

 at the discharge of the western branch of the Nile, 

 the ancient Bolbitica, now called the Branch of 

 ^Rossetta. It is a bar formed by the sands, on which 

 the billows driven by the winds from the sea, and 

 met by the current of the river, break with incon- 

 ceivable impetuosity. A little islet, dividing the 

 discharge of this branch, leaves, on either side, a 

 strait called in the language of the country, boghass, 

 canal or strait : but this passage is far from practi- 

 cable the whole breadth through. There is only 

 a very narrow channel which the moveableness of 

 the sands and the agitation of the water are chan- 

 ging every day. A pilot, rets, or master of the 

 boghass, is continually employed in taking the 

 soundings of this ever-varying pass, that he may 

 indicate them to the germes. Notwithstanding 

 these precautions, they frequently run aground, 

 and very soon, tilled with masses of sand and wa- 

 ter, perish with their lading and their crews. Ac- 

 cidents are more frequent in entering the Nile, 

 than on the outward passage, the germes coming 

 from the sea not having it in their power to dis- 

 pense with taking the pass, when they come close 

 upon it; whereas, ongoing down with the cur- 

 rent of the river, they can easily get back, if, on 

 approaching the bar, they find the passage hazard- 

 ous. During the increase of the Nile, the wa- 

 ters being more elevated, accidents seldomer hap- 

 pen : 



