THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 433 
‘flep they ‘ake The river was very deep, the current, I fup- 
pote, fifty yards broader than it was at the cataract; but 
the banks were, for a great way on each fide, almoft perheete 
ly level, though much obftructed with black flones. In the 
middle it was very deep, and the flream fmooth, fo that it 
was apparent our horfes muft fwim. For my part I did 
not like the'{mooth ftones at the bottom, as a fall there 
would have been irrecoverable; and my horfe was fhod 
with iron, which is not ufualin Abyflinia. I therefore re- 
folved to {wim where I could not wade, and, wrapping my 
cloaths in a bundle, I gave them to a fervant, who carried 
them over on his head. I then waded in, and found the water 
unexpectedly cold. Mahomet rode on a mule by my fide, 
fometimes {wimming, fometimes walking. I attempted to 
- found up towards the lake, and found it deeper there. I re- 
turned, therefore, being unwilling to try experiments, and, 
committing myfelf to the ftream, fwam to the other fide, 
much comforted by the affurance that no crocodile pafled 
the cataract. 
The beafts having got over, the men followed much 
‘quicker; many women, going to join the army, fwam over, 
holding the tails of the horfes, and we were all cn the other 
fide before twelve o'clock, the beafts a good deal tired 
with the paflage, the fteepnefs of the accefs to it, and the 
fill greater depth on the other fide. For my part, I thought 
we could not have gone on to Tfoomwa, but it was carried 
againftme. Tfoomwa is about twelve miles-diftant ; and I 
fuppofe it was not much paft three o’clock when we arri- 
ved there, which was very fortunate, as we had fcarcely pitch- 
ed our tents before a moft terrible ftorm of rain, wind, and 
thunder overtook us. My tent was happily placed in one 
Vox. II. 31 refpect 
