CHAP. I.] 
TUB BOY OSMAN. 
23 
the point of junction. The Nile at this spot about two 
miles wide—dead flat banks—mimosas on west bank. 
My two cabin boys are very useful, and Osman’s ring¬ 
ing laugh and constant impertinence to the crew and 
soldiers keep the boat alive;—he is a capital boy, a 
perfect gamin, and being a tailor by trade he is very 
useful—this accounts for his father wishing to detain 
him. The horses and donkeys very snug on board. 
At 1 p.m. passed Gebel Ouli, a small hill on south 
bank—course S.W. \ S. At 8.30 p.m. reached Getene, 
a village of mixed Arabs on the East bank—anchored. 
21 st Dec .—All day busy clearing decks, caulk¬ 
ing ship, and making room for the camels on the 
noggors, as this is the village to which I had previously 
sent two men to select camels and to have them in 
readiness for my arrival. The men have been selecting 
sweethearts instead; thus I must wait here to-morrow, 
that being the “Soog” or market day, when I shall 
purchase my camels and milk goats. The banks of 
the river very uninteresting, flat, desert, and mimosa 
bush. The soil is not so rich as on the banks of the 
Blue Nile—the dhurra (grain) is small. The Nile is 
quite two miles wide up to this point, and the high- 
water mark is not more than five feet above the present 
level. The banks shelve gradually like the sands at 
low tide in England, and quite unlike the perpendicular 
banks of the Blue Nile. Busy at gunsmiths work. 
The nights and mornings are now cold, from 60 to 62 
Fahr. Johann makes me very anxious : I much fear 
he cannot last long, unless some sudden change for the 
better takes place. 
22 d Dec .— Selected two fine camels and shipped 
them in slings with some difficulty. Bought four 
oxen at nine herias each (155.); the men delighted 
at the work of slaughtering, and jerking the meat for 
the voyage Bought four milch goats at 9 ps. each, 
and laid in a large stock of dhurra straw for the 
animals. Got all my men on board and sailed at 
4.30 p.m., course due west; variation allowed for. I 
