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THE SOURCE'OF THE NILE. 521 
which is not regulated as-to its extent, but is levied arbitra- 
rily, according to circumftances of the times, and paid to 
the Shukorea, or other Arabs, who are in the neighbour- 
hood, which happens from February to July. The Mek, or 
prince of the Arabs, pafles them by fair means or force. 
After the rains become conftant, thefe go eaftward to Men- 
dera. and Gooz, and then the road from Sennaar to Suakem 
through thefe places becoming dangerous on account of 
- all the other Arabs affembling there to avoid the fly, the ca- 
ravan of Suakem is obliged to pafs through Halfaia to Bar- 
bar, and from thence toSuakem, fo that this was the moft 
frequented road in the kingdom. Now, indeed, the com- 
munications on all fides are obftructed by the anarchy that 
prevails among the Arabs, fo that he who paffes to or from 
Egypt-muft depend folely upon his own exertions and the 
protection of Heaven. 
Sic : 
. “Tue Acaba of Gerri,;and the banks of the Nile there, are 
inhabited by tribes of Arabs, called Beni Hamda, and Haf- 
‘fami. They are all poor and miferable banditti, and would 
not fuffer a man to pafs there at the ferry were it not for 
_ the extraordinary dread they have of fire-arms. The report 
of a gun, even at a_diftance, will make a hundred of them , 
fly. and hide themfelves.. We gave them feveral vollies of 
blunderbuffes, and double-barrelled guns, fired in the air, 
from the time of our entering their territory till near Wed 
Baala Nagga; we faw them upon the tops of the pointed 
rocks as far diftant as we could with, nor did they ever ap- 
pear nearer us, or defcendinto the plain. 
2 Art Halfaia and Gerri begins that noble race of horfes 
y juftly celebrated all overthe world. They are the breed that 
'® Vor. IV. f aU was 
