56 
TEiVELS IN CENTEAL AFEICA. 
leaving until noon^ and soon afterwards we sped throngli another 
passage of partly sunken rocks^ called Neddi. A whirlpool catch- 
ing hold of our hoat_, against the best efforts of our men^ brought 
her in contact with the rocks^ and some alarming shocks were 
sustained ere we could get off. My poor wife^ in her weak state^ 
could not control herself, and at last fell fainting into my arms. 
However^ on we sped_, and serious were my fears that in her high 
state of exhaustion,, after all the illness and trials she had gallantly 
vanquished,, she must succumb under the inevitable great fatigue 
that awaited her in crossing the desert. 
At four p.m. passed through Chor Koodi^ west of a large island 
of the same name^ and made fast at the end of it for the night. 
Prior to reaching the island, the west Nile-bank presents a long 
continuous forest of date-palms^ and behind it several villages ; on 
the other side the country seemed deserted : the soil is poor and 
sandy, and the few and far-between stunted trees were dom-palms 
and nebbac bushes. 
September \st . — The Sheikh Bellad (chief of the country), Wa^d 
Aboo Higl, lived some miles farther down, and to his whereabouts 
we proceeded, navigating an easy channel through quiet and inte- 
resting scenery. As usual the skeikh received us with a hearty 
welcome, and heaps of fruit, vegetables, and a sheep for presents. 
In return I repaired the lock of his gun, and gave him some 
powder and shot. While this was going on the crew had been 
busy in unshipping and landing our rudder. It had been cobbled 
up after the first injury it had received, but the second bumping 
had so shaken it that it was deemed prudent, if possible, to ex- 
change the sternpost for a new one. 
A search of several hours along the banks, for an appropriate tree 
