Chap. LXIX. 
THE INUNDATION. 
513 
instance, one of those merchants resident in Tim- 
buktu, to whom I had been recommended by Mr. 
Dickson, and who had consented to advance me a 
small loan, under such conditions that he was to 
receive almost triple the sum which he was to lend. 
This day was also an important epoch 
for the inhabitants of the place, the water 
having entered the wells, which are situated round 
the southern and south- western part of the town ; 
and this period, which is said to* occur only about 
every third year, obtains the same importance here as 
the lelet e' nuktah " possesses with the inhabitants 
of Cairo * ; viz. the day or night on which the dyke 
which separates the canal from the river is cut. The 
whole road from Kabara was now so inundated that 
it was no longer passable for asses, and small boats 
very nearly approached the town. 
When my host made his appearance on the morn- 
ing of the 26th, he was not as usual clad in a 
black tobe, but in a red kaftan, with a white cloth 
bernus over it. He began speaking most cheerfully 
about my approaching departure, and had the camels 
brought before me, which now looked infinitely better 
than when they were last conveyed from the other 
bank of the river ; but as I had become fully aware 
of his dilatory character, I did not place much reli- 
ance upon the hope which he held out to me of soon 
entering upon my home journey. We had heard of 
* Lane's Modern Egyptians, ed. 1836, vol. ii. p. 255. 
VOL. IV. L L 
