422 
VISIT THE VILLAGE OF SCENDI. 
sunset, where it was considered desirable to rest for 
the night. 
ISth. — There are only two large places, or "blin- 
ders," on the route by water to Berber — namely, 
Metamma and Scendi. Nearly the whole distance is 
flat, bare, and uncultivated, without villages ; but 
numerous flocks of cattle, camels, sheep, goats, and 
sometimes horses, are to be seen upon the banks. 
The people were civil in offering us milk and garden 
vegetables. To-day, although the mainmast of our 
boat had been taken down, the north wind and storm 
of sand blew so hard from nine till two o'clock that 
we could make no progress. We were not, however, 
troubled with rocks in the stream, and by sunset had 
made as far as the tame-looking district of Bowalat. 
From this point we had no rocks, but rowed steadily 
down, at two and a half miles per hour, as far as some 
wells and cultivations on the right bank at Gro(n)cil Ilm. 
A native of this place, calling himself a Shygeea, had 
three lines cut upon each cheek, similar to the custom 
practised on the Nile at 4° N. • but though an abori- 
gine, he was a Mussulman — converted, probably, at 
the time the late commander-in-chief, Ibrahim Pasha, 
conquered the country. The district was reckoned 
exactly half-way between Khartoom and Berber ; but 
we anchored for the night at the left bank of Metam- 
ma. There were no antiquities to be seen ; and, hav- 
ing gone down stream for an hour, we lay-to on the 
20th at the town of Scendi, a straggling, dusty, miser- 
able place, but which afforded liquor to our sailors, 
and fresh bread to ourselves. There were mounds of 
ancient remains in abundance ; and three miles to the 
south-west some buildings and figures in stone were 
