THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 472 



principalities of Negroes that live within the reach of the 

 tropical rains. 



At Selima they provided water for five days ; and, on 

 the 26th of October, having turned their courfe a little to 

 the eaftward, came to Mofcho, or Machou, a large village 

 on the weftern banks of the Nile, which Poncet flill mif- 

 takes for the eaftern, and which is the only inhabited place 

 fince the leaving ELVahyand the frontiers of the kingdom, 

 of Dongola, dependent upon that of Sennaar. The Nile 

 here takes the farther! turn to the weftward, and is rightly 

 delineated in the French maps- 



Poncet very rightly fays, this is the beginning of the 

 country of the Barabra, or Berberians, (I fuppofe it is a mif- 

 take of the printer when called in the narrative Barauras). 

 The true fignification of the term is the land of the Shepherds v 

 a name more common and better known in the firft dynaf- 

 ties of Egypt than in more modern hiftories. The Erbab 

 (or governor) of this province received him hofpitably, and 

 kindly invited him to Argos, his place of refidence, on the 

 eaftern or oppofitefide of the Nile, and entertained him there,, 

 upon hearing from Poncet that he was fent for by the king 

 of Abyninia.. 



After .refreshing themfelves eight days at Mofcho, they 

 left it on the 4th of November 1698, and arrived at Dongola 

 on the 13th of the fame month. The country which he 

 palled along the Nile is very pleafant,. and is defcribcd by 

 him very properly. It does not owe its fertility to the 

 overflowing of the Nile, the banks of that river being - 

 confiderabiy too high. It is watered, however, by the in- 



dnflrv 



