WILD-FOWL BECOME SCARCE. 
389 
black duck with, yellow bill, said to be very palatable, 
no longer stood packed in hundreds on the banks. 
The myriads of monster black and white geese were 
left behind. The familiar quack of the mallard was 
seldom heard at night. The pin-tailed duck shot 
past the boat, seeking less busy scenes. The crocodile 
had been scared ; he had lost his boldness, but still 
watched for a victim. Against his attacks thorn 
fences enclosed portions of the river, where cattle or 
goats might drink in safety; and it was remarked 
that in these more frequented regions wild-fowl were 
seldom seen upon the water ; the Egyptian goose, 
which floated in scattered coveys near the sides, was 
the only species which showed no fear amidst the 
sounds of human voices : he fell an easy prey to the 
sportsman. These, and sundry other familiar sights 
and reflections, gave warning that our journey was 
fast drawing to a close. 
El Eis, or the Well, at about 13f° N. lat., is an Arab 
settlement on the right bank, on the highway between 
the countries of Sennaar in Abyssinia and Kordofan. 
Its houses are not seen from the river, but the shore is 
lined with troops of camels, a mounted guard or herd 
being over each batch, denoting that the country is 
well peopled. Khartoom, we were informed, could be 
reached from here on a donkey in six days. The river 
at El Eis is five hundred yards in width, but increases 
to a mile of shallow water, with islands, as we float 
down its stream to Shellai and Al'aga ; farther down, 
when opposite Jubl Musa on the left bank, it becomes 
narrower, being only twelve hundred yards wide, and 
sluggish as a mill-pond. The next feature in the flat 
landscape is Jubl Brceme, a table -topped solitary hill, 
