THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 559 
Tus phenomenon of the fimoom, unexpected by us, 
though forefeen by Idris, caufed us all to relapfe into our 
former defpondency. It ftill continued to blow, fo as to ex- 
hauft us entirely, though the blaft was fo weak as fcarcely 
would have raifed a leaf from the ground. At twenty mi- 
nutes before five the fimoom ceafed, and a comfortable and 
cooling breeze came by ftarts from the north, blowing 
five or fix minutes at a time, and then falling calm. We 
were now come to the Acaba, the afcent before we arrived 
' at Chigere, where we intended. to have ftopt that night, 
but we all moved on with tacit confent, nor did one perfon 
pretend to fay how far he gueffed we were to go.. 
Ar thirteen minutes paft eight we alighted in a fandy 
plain abfolutely without herbage, covered with loofe ftones, 
a. quarter of a mile due north of the well, which is in the 
narrow. gorge, forming the fouthern outlet of this {mall 
plain. Though we had travelled thirteen hours and a quar- 
ther this day, it was. but at a flow pace, our camels being 
famifhed, as well as tired, and lamed likewife by the fharp 
ftones with: which: the ground in all places was covered. 
The country, for three days paft, had been: deftitute of 
herbage of any kind, entirely defert, and abandoned to. 
moving fands. We faw this day, after pafling Ras el Seah,. 
jarge blocks and ftrata of pure white marble, equal. to any 
jn colour that ever.came from Paros.. 
Cuicecre is a fmall narrow valley, clofely covered up and 
furrounded with:barren rocks.. The wells are ten in num-- 
ber, and the narrow gorge which opens to them is not 
. ten yards broad: The fprings, however, are very abundant. . 
-Wherever.a pit is dug five or fix feet deep, it is immediate- 
ly 
