50 
TEAVELS m CENTEAL AFEICA. 
afterwards a short march until sunset^ and then a most glorious 
rest. 
Wednesday, 25th . — Three hours before sunrise we were in the 
saddle^ and travelled until twelve o’clock; a few moments allowed 
only to partake of soaked biscuit and dates at the usual breakfast- 
time. I was too tired to observe where we encamped at noon_, for 
I went to sleep in a moment^ and could not even be roused to eat 
the dinner prepared. At three o’clock we were off again. Passed 
a long, straggling, but pretty village ; each mud house had its 
separate plot of cultivated ground. At sunset bivouacked on the 
borders of a creek formed by the waters of the high Nile. The fish 
were leaping furiously, but we were all too much knocked up to try 
to capture them. Towards morning the wind blew violently. Twice 
my horse broke loose and raced madly about the camp. 
Thursday, 2Qth . — Two hours before sunrise we were en route. A 
stony desolate moor was crossed at first, and at sunrise we were 
passing a village called Senna. Near to the river at this place a 
number of devotees lived, whose business it was to teach the 
Koran. Our servant Ali had been a pupil, but he cannot possibly 
do justice to his preceptors, as a more unprincipled fellow never 
lived ; yet he is universally liked, and he is a clever servant. 
On the summit of a lofty rock there is the tomb of the sheikh. 
The guide gravely mentioned that to this day, if any good Mussul- 
man, upon entering the river, implores, the sheikh’s protection, no 
crocodile will touch him; those who by any accident have been 
eaten, suffered in consequence of not having done so. 
The guide was summoned to partake of coffee, and to tell why, 
if a Mussulman entered the river, and called on Sheikh Abd il 
