Chap.lxxvi. tera'rart, northernmost creek. 169 
ground ; and fearing lest we might again be entangled 
in these interminable low grounds, we kept at a con- 
siderable distance from the river over the gentle 
sandy downs, bare at first, but afterwards clad with 
a considerable quantity of dry grass. But some of our 
companions, who overtook us, would not allow us 
to pursue our north-easterly direction, and led us 
back again to the border of a broad swampy sheet 
of water, which is called Ter^rart, and at this spot 
formed a shallow water full of water-plants and geese, 
but gradually widening to a very extensive swamp, 
which again increased to a large open branch. The 
river, however, which was now almost at its lowest 
level, must present a very different aspect during the 
highest state of the inundation, when the downs of 
snow-white sand, which at present separated the 
principal trunk from the swamp, must appear like a 
narrow sandbank in the midst of the water. 
Behind these downs, but separated from the main 
branch by a smaller creek, called " the false river," 
Eghirreu-n-baho, lies the hamlet E^gedesh, which 
at the present season was deserted, the inhabitants 
being scattered over the islands in the river. The 
three villages Garbame, E^m-n-Taborak, and Nsherifen, 
are situated on its opposite southern bank. 
Exchanging at this remarkable spot our east 
north-easterly direction for an east south-easterly 
one, we encamped after a march of three miles and 
a half, in the shade of a dense belt of underwood 
which girded its shores, and after a short time. 
