THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 1g 
tom ‘is foft' and bad, the water four feet and a half deep, 
but above another foot, which we fink in clay. I cried to 
Welled Amlac, while he was leading my mule acrofs, that 
heifhould not pray to his faint that never eats, as at the 
paffage of the’ Jemma in May. He only anfwered lowly to 
me, Do you think thefe thieves would have let you pafs if 
I was: not with yow? My anfwer was, Welleta Michael 
would not) have feen me: wronged ; I faved his lite, he and 
Susy ibeey knows it) .2irs 
We cae with h difficulty thie middle of the river, where 
the bottom was firm, and there we refted a little. Whilft 
we were wading near the other fide, we found foul ground, 
_ but the water was fhallow, and the banks low and eafy 
to afcend» Theriver fide, as far as we could fee, is bare 
and deftitute of wood of any kind, only bordered with thiftles 
and high grafs, and the water tinged deep with red earth, 
of which its banks are compofed. This paflage is called 
Delakus, and is paflable from the end of October to the 
middle of May. Immediately on the top of the hill afcend- 
_ ing from the river is the {mall town of Delakus, which gives 
this ford its name; it extends from N. E. to N. N. E. and is 
more confiderable in appearance than is the generality of 
thefe fmall towns or villages in Abyflinia, becaufe inhabited 
by Mahometans only, a trading, frugal, intelligent, and in- 
duftrious people. 
‘Our conductor, Welled Amlac, again put us in mind of 
the fervice he had rendered us, and we were not unmindful 
of him. Hehad been received with very great refpect by 
the eaftern body of combatants, and it is incredible with 
what expedition he fwallowed near a pound of raw flefh’ 
C2 cut 
