TURTLE-DOVES. — DESERTION OF BLACK SOLDIERS AND PURSUIT OF THEM. — INTERVIEW WITH NATIVE WOMEN. — GIGANTIC STATURE OF THE KEKS. — THEIR PASSION FOR GLASS BEADS. — FEIZULLA CAPITAN’S QUARREL WITH A SUBALTERN OFFICER. — SYLVESTER’S EVE. — A “HAPPY NEW YEAR.” — VILLAGE OF BONN. — WANT OF SHADE IN THE FORESTS. — CURIOUS TATOOING AND CUSTOMS OF THE NATIVES. — A WOMAN’S VILLAGE. — MODESTY OF THE WOMEN. — MEAT BROTH. — REPORT OF HOSTILE INTENTIONS OF NEGROES. — FRENCH EXPEDITION TO EGYPT UNDER NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.

29th December.—We sailed quite early this morning, scarcely half an hour, when we found ourself at a place called by the Arabs “Mattrag betal Mutfa,” or “Place of Cannons,” because, in the former expedition, a cannon was lost here in the water. Here we were to rest some days, in order to make immense astronomical calculations, which may be, truly, a complicated labour for the great “Ingenia.” A shooting excursion after the numerous birds was much more pleasant. The left shore was here four feet high, and I believe that the water of the Nile has only stood in the still green and marshy low hollows which, like rivulets, run parallel to the stream. What we looked upon at a distance as a forest (called Haba), turns out to be misery itself for a German. In vain we seek shade here, where the half dried-up trees, mostly dwarfs, always stand some hundred paces from one another. Here also the long, thick-stalked grass was burnt away, and a young grass, which otherwise would have wanted air, now sprouted in plenty from the earth. The trees are, for the most part, a species of mimosas, called talle. I had only gone about on the shore a few paces, when I came to the full conviction that there must be capital shooting here. I returned, therefore, on board, but there was neither gun nor servant to be seen. They had gone shooting, to spare me the trouble of exerting myself. One after the other came back, and brought birds, but, whilst I was looking at them, they were off again. I could not be angry, much as I might have wished to be. Among the turtle-doves are found even the Egyptian (Columba Ægypt), called gimri; but still more the larger gumri (C. risoria, Linn.; also C. collaris, Hemp and Ehrbg). The turtle-doves with the long tail and black stomacher (C. caprensis), seem not to present themselves here. A brownish eagle, with a white head (Falco vocifer), a white and dark grey ibis (I. æthiop and I. Hagedash); a crane, with black velvet crest and golden nimbus, grue royale (Grus pavonius), appeared to be the chief among the birds found here. The white birds sitting upon the backs of the elephants, and fishing there on dry land, are small herons, and exactly similar to the Ardea Coromandelica, with the exception of the yellow bill and feet.

The vessels are washed out and cleansed; the bread-corn, which had become somewhat damp, is brought out on hand; and we leave our goods and chattels out of doors, relying on the good-natured Keks, who have not hitherto shewn themselves armed. Towards evening I went a tolerable distance to shoot, and had nearly lost my way in returning; for in seeking the nearest road to the vessels, I fell into the marshes. I had not one of my servants near me, because they were occupied in preparing the birds. Scarcely had the sun set, when a mist rose up around the great plain on which the reeds were burnt away, but that magnificent luminary remained free from it; for the ground here, being dried up by the fire, has no exhalations. Even at a little distance, the trees appeared of a dark blue colour. On the second morning, however, even the burnt place was wet, and my feet were as black as coals, when I returned from it.

30th December.—Abd-Elliab, the Kurd, had had the watch on shore, except the night posts on the ship, whilst we were asleep, and sixteen men from the Nuba, and the surrounding country, had deserted from him. These unhappy creatures being so far from their home by water as well as by land, with only a small stock of munition, must fall sooner or later into the power of an enemy, and had, therefore, as it were, surrendered themselves to death; for hunger, thirst, and ignorance of the road, could only prepare for them a very deplorable fate. An unbounded love for home could alone have induced them to expose themselves to such jeopardy; and they instinctively hastened to it, like a horse taken from the chase.

I had already been in the morning on a shooting expedition, but was obliged to return, in order to clean my gun, which Sale, in spite of my constant admonitions, only very carelessly attends to, because he is always hoping that it will not miss fire. It was now determined that the deserters should be pursued, and First Lieutenant Hüssein Agà commanded on this occasion. In order to see something of the country, I joined with two of my servants, though I wished the blacks, who had only run away from slavery, a happy return to their native country. Even Hüsseïn Agà, though a Turk, agreed with me, for he did not wish to come upon them. The sun rose higher and higher, and we left the Haba, affording us here and there for a moment a shady tree. I determined not to expose myself any more to this forced march, and to return; but Hüsseïn would not let me go from him, because he must be answerable for my safety;—however, he offered me half of his men as a protection on my road back, which I refused, not believing that there was any danger. When the ground permitted, I stayed behind with my huntsmen in a dry gohr, and followed it upwards; whilst Hüsseïn, with his Egyptians, who would have murdered without mercy the run-away soldiers, or rather the slaves seeking again their freedom, was soon out of our sight with his long legs.

We saw two villages, and repaired to the larger one to get water or milk. There were no men to be seen, but they had left their wives behind, who shewed themselves very friendly towards us. They were of moderate stature, and two of pleasing physiognomy. This indeed was not improved by the four lower incisors, and here and there another tooth, being wanting, and also the hair of the head being kept quite short. The circumstance of two upper incisors being wanting to the first Kek, was only an accident, as I had already remarked in those we had seen since. Their foreheads were tattoed by three strokes, or rather incisions, rising horizontally from a vertical cut in the middle of the forehead, and extending to the temples. They had also a hole in their ear-laps, but neither a little stick nor anything else in it. They wore iron rings around the hand, and skins covered their hips. Some had a circle of the bark of trees round their heads. They spoke confusedly, much, and in a loud tone, and might have related many pretty things, of which, however, we understood nothing. One passed her hand over my countenance, then looked at it, and wetting her finger with her saliva, she tried my skin to see if it were coloured. She fetched us black bread, of a somewhat sweetish taste; also green tobacco, and gave us water in a gourd-shell.

I was surprised at not seeing either children or marriageable maidens; but whilst the women were occupied with me, as with a white man browned by the sun, Sale had discovered a tokul where the girls were shut up together. It was with difficulty that I could keep him back from opening the low door closed by split trunks of trees;—the women recognised this conduct of mine very gratefully by their gestures and dances. It appeared to me, moreover, unadvisable to awaken mistrust; for they might only too easily have taken us for kidnappers; and the men, who carried bows with poisoned arrows, were perhaps nearer than we imagined, and might even have been concealed in the tokul.

I was sorry that I had, in my hurry, omitted to bring a glass bead or two with me, in order that I might have made these good women quite happy. The walls of the tokuls were low, and plastered with clay, though the pointed roofs were, as usual, of straw. Skins were lying on the ground, and gourd-shells and vessels of black clay standing around, but there was neither merissa nor milk to be discovered in them; and I must say, I laughed not a little, when Sale, who is so devoted to merissa, put a gara to his mouth, in the greatest delight, thinking he had found some. It was urine, which they are in the habit of collecting from cows, and mixing with milk, as a drink, which I learned subsequently from our blacks. This is considered wholesome, as there is no salt here. A number of short stakes were driven into the ground near the village, for the cattle to be fastened to; and the women made us understand by signs that the beasts were a long distance from here. An immense number of birds were perched around the pools; amongst them also ducks and sand-pipers, but we could not get within shot of them. The latitude 6° 34′, east longitude, from Paris 28° 32′. The thermometer in the morning 16°, and at noon, 25°.

The women must have reported well of our friendly intentions; for when we returned to the vessels, we found there some natives, who had probably washed the ashes from themselves, for they were quite black. Very little notice was taken of them by the Turks, because they had not brought with them any cattle. These people were more like trees than men; I perceived with them also the artificial wrinkles on the forehead, being the insignia of the nation of the Keks, which I had overlooked in the former visitors, owing either to the dirt or the ashes. At three o’clock the drum beat, and I really thought that it was a joke; but it was not so, for it was supposed that there was reason to believe all our negroes intended to desert. We towed our vessels, therefore, further to the S.; for Hüsseïn Aga had also returned with his fifty men without having effected his object.

At four o’clock we had, on the left, a long village, the tokul roofs of which were without under-walls. The right shore is elevated here four to five feet above the height of the Nile, and has only scanty grass, for the Nile appears not to have inundated it. A wood at a distance, losing itself under the horizon, on the left shore; the Haba close at hand, wherein I had shot yesterday, runs with the river to the south. A faint east wind has set in, with which we slowly sail S.S.E., and make one mile. Two lakes, of which the former one is not inconsiderable, are in a line with each other between the before-named Haba and the river; the forest, with a margin of reeds before it, approaches then to the border of the river.

At five o’clock, to S.E. by E., where again there is a similar half-finished summer or herdsman’s village. The hills of ashes, from their being covered with the mud of the preceding year, and not by the water, incline us to believe that the Nile has not ascended above four feet; yet, behind this temporary settlement, the surface of the earth seems to lie a little deeper, for we remark there a green vegetation.

A vessel has sprung a leak; it is affirmed that this accident has been caused by a hippopotamus. We halt, owing to this circumstance, at half-past five o’clock, at the left shore. According to the superstitious notions of the Reïs, hippopotami recognise us as the dangerous enemy with the fiery claw, and therefore attack our ships with their hard skulls; for it is quite certain that a Sheitàn is concealed under their form. The surface of the earth rises here only two feet above the river, and is a fertile slime soil. The Keks who came this morning to the ships, return, and bring three goats and one calf, for which some glass beads were presented to them. These glass beads are called by the Keks and Iengähs, Gòd or Guòd; by the Arabs, on the contrary, Sug-Sug; so, also, the two former nations call the Nile “Kidi or Kiti.”

Several more Keks came, and amongst them two old men, dressed in stiff cobblers’ aprons; these reached over the breast, and were very well curried. Two of the men who were of gigantic stature, like all the rest, might have been called really handsome; it was only a pity that they were covered with a crust of ashes, even in the orbits, and in every part where the perspiration had not found its way through. They wore ornaments of feathers or skins, according to their fancy, on their heads; earrings of red copper, strips of leather round their necks, and iron rings, both on the right and on the left arm. Owing to the short hair, we could see how the incisions on the forehead, previously referred to, run above the ears, even to the occiput. There were only some who had a longer tuft of hair.

It is wonderful that they do not quarrel and fight for the beads thrown on the ground, as these ornaments are of higher value to them than gold and jewels.

The sun had gone down for a long time, and the negroes had run home as quickly as possible, to shew their wives, whom I had already seen, their magnificent presents, when we sailed S.S.E. The village in which I had been was called Pagnaù. We soon go to the S., where a lake gleamed on the right. Towards E., we got aground in an arm of the Nile, close by a peninsula; again go back, and in a short time, from S. to N., and again in S. and N., and cast anchor in the middle of the river.

31st December.—In spite of the coolness, or rather warmth of 15° Reaumur, we are even plagued this morning with gnats. We go N.N.W. If the river had for some days a decided southerly direction, now I really do not know what will become of it. Where the shores do not fall away precipitously, they are always covered with reeds; and the frequent lagoons, although mostly dry and deeply split and cracked, run close to the river, and may form beneficent conduits in these level regions.

9 o’clock.—Always advancing with Libàhn, owing to which we have scarcely made two miles and a quarter, for the rope gets continually entangled in the reeds, and we cannot tow on this side the margin, or but very seldom. The river winds here from E. to S.E. by E., to go again immediately to N., where a little village is seen on the right shore. It is cold, and yet the thermometer shews 20° in the cabin itself.

We halt because Feïzulla Capitan has given our Ombashi (subaltern officer) a box on the ear, and the latter has complained to the commander. This officer, our Abu Hashis, had laid aside for himself a cow’s skin, which here, as well as in all Egypt, is a monopoly of the Belik (government). Feïzulla Capitan had remarked this by accident, and reproached him for it, which ended in a box on the ears. The fact of the peculation was attested. The commander feared the crew. The Egyptians, stung by gnats, were discontented with the voyage itself, because they had again got into their heads the idea of Njam-Njam, or cannibals. They were also afraid of a conspiracy among our negroes, whom they still always call “Abit.” This is the cause why attention was paid to the Egyptian subordinate. He was quietly allowed to complain, and just as quietly to retire. Nothing was said to Feïzulla Capitan, because the Insbashi, or captain of the plaintiff, neglected to support his complaint; in vain, therefore, had this officer caught hold very eagerly of the ship’s towing-rope, when he jumped overboard after receiving the box on the ears. We must not think that esprit du corps, or wounded honour, which seldom or ever presents itself to the Fellahs, prompted him to this not very dangerous jump, but the screamer thought that he must open his mouth before the others. He was removed to his Insbashi’s vessel.

My servants will not get accustomed, or attend only in a very careless manner, to the shifting of my specimens of marsh plants, which cannot be too frequently done in such a damp atmosphere. They can understand stuffing (osluk) birds and other animals, for the purpose of exhibiting them in Europe for money; but to preserve gesh (grass), that is beyond their comprehension.—One o’clock. We have come from the northern direction slowly again to S.S.W., sail at half-past one o’clock round a corner of the reeds S.W., and go at two o’clock E. with the rope. At three o’clock to S., with sails, and in five minutes again Libàhn towards E. Our course became, by this eternal change, almost reduced to nothing; had it been otherwise, we might have made a good tract with the east wind.

It occurred to me that it was Sylvester’s day, and I brought before my wretched mind the different Sylvester nights; how I had sometimes passed them joyfully, sometimes melancholy or quietly, ever according to the circumstances and situations in which I was placed at the time. I shouted to Thibaut, who was just passing by me, that it was Sylvester’s day, that we ought to keep the anniversary of our honest patron as a festival, and invited him to my vessel. He was afraid, however, of Feïzulla, who, reclined upon his carpet on deck, resting from his tailoring, and had one Fingàn (small cup) of date brandy after another handed to him, as if he wanted to solemnise Sylvester’s evening in his own way. I went down, therefore, to Thibaut; we drank maraschino and grog, having a coal-dish between us, over the fire of which we laid green brushwood, to protect us, in some measure, against the impudent gnats. We related anecdotes of our previous journeys in Greece, and how we, being then young, looked at the world with perfectly different eyes, and had now become old fellows, whose highest destiny would be to get an old maid or widow for a wife, on our return to our native country, and how we had lost the so-called happiness when it was thrown in our way. The usual Jeremiads of incipient old bachelors. After four o’clock we sailed S.W., and then generally more to the S.

It was eight o’clock when I summoned my Dahabie to come close, but as if the devil had seized the helm, it went at the very same moment bang against the vessel in which the Frenchmen were; a fearful row and mutual abuse then took place, especially as all the vessels were thrown together by wind and the current, into the corner where the river makes a sudden bend from S. to S.W. It was only with much trouble that we worked ourselves loose with oars, poles, and sails, to stop about N.W. with the north-east wind. At sunset we cast anchor, north latitude 6° 52′, east longitude from Paris 28° 33′.

1st January, 1841.—Welcome new year! Oh ye beautiful past times! Dance and the girls—Wine and friends.—I could not sleep; the sentinels sang, and told stories of spirits, snakes, and unbelievers, accompanied by abuse of the gnats. I thought of my brother in Taka, who at the present moment did not even know it was Sylvester’s evening, for there we had lost the computation of time, both having different dates in our journals. This was also the case with the Italian physician, Dr. Bellotti, who took the greatest delight however in the new moon, because the arrears of his salary increased with it. It occurred to me that my brother and I, when we had nearly lost our memory, after a severe illness, had even contended about the date of the year. Midnight had long passed, and I was just on the point of falling asleep, when Thibaut, who had continued his libations in honour of St. Sylvester, shouted out a “Happy New Year to you!”

We sailed from sun-rise to seven o’clock, in a southern direction, with a faint north-east wind. We halt on the left side of that large island, near which Selim Capitan returned the evening before yesterday, to navigate the left instead of the right arm. Here, on the right shore, our stream takes up in S.S.E. by E., a small, but strongly-flowing river, or an arm of the Nile; in the latter signification it is called, without any further ceremony, a gohr. Ash-grey negroes come to the shore and bring us some cattle. Both their chiefs or Sheiks are called Arwor and Albisùg: their neighbouring village bears, to my astonishment, the name of Bonn. We presented them with glass beads, and threw some on the ground for the others, without their quarrelling or fighting for them. The stream we traverse is called by them Kir, and the arm before mentioned Muts; the former is said to be very circuitous. A little before ten o’clock we sail with a good north-east wind to S.E., and immediately to S. As we see here, the arm of the Nile comes from the east.

Our high road has scarcely thirty paces breadth for a short tract, because the giant rushes and the everlasting blooming ambaks advance deeply in the water from the left shore. At half-past ten o’clock in a bend to S.S.W., then S.S.E., and S.S.W. The shores are only two feet high on the left hand, and therefore the burning away of the half-dried reeds is of no consequence. Still, before eleven o’clock, round a corner to E.S.E., where we perceive, on the right shore towards E., a large lake at half an hour’s distance, whilst we sail to S.S.W. Both shores are here scarcely elevated one foot above the river, which again is more than three hundred paces broad. There lies yonder a herdsman’s village; the natives step to the right shore, but run away, however, when we begin to beat the drum; yet they approached soon afterwards, and without weapons. Each had adorned himself according to his fancy, with feathers or the skin of a wild beast. I have remarked also that all these inhabitants of the marshes have very bad teeth, notwithstanding their otherwise personal advantages. They came on the left shore with a cow, but we did not think it worth the trouble to accept such an insignificant sacrifice. Only a gun-shot distance to the N., then again to S.E. and S.

One o’clock. I had fallen asleep, wearied out, and Feïzulla told me that he had watched the compass during the time I slept, and that we had remained to this moment in a southerly direction. Towards S.E. a large lake, extending between the shore and a wood an hour distant. Fishermen from a village in the neighbourhood are employed in making the water disturbed in its narrow outlets, and covering these with wicker and fishing-baskets. At half-past one o’clock, E.N.E., where another village appears on the right shore; then E. up to four o’clock, and with the rope, for the east wind has set in. This wind is, however, too faint to advance with sails S.W. Even rowing does not assist us, and we at first advance Libàhn.

I interpret it as a good omen that I am in such a cheerful humour to-day, arising a good deal from my present state of health. Poor Sabatier, on the contrary, seems to be going fast to certain death, through his own melancholy and Arnaud’s heartlessness, for he is continually affected with fever and will never hear of any diet. At half-past four o’clock, S.S.W. Our vessel draws water, whereupon we fire two shots as signals of distress; but no care was taken about us, because the wind had become a little stronger, and we make about a mile; before, we had scarcely made half a mile in the hour. We sail, therefore, “Alla kerim,” behind the others, although the water visibly rises in the hold, and we have not even pumps. We halt, about five o’clock, at the corner, where the river goes from S.S.W. to E.N.E. Here we have an extensive view of the scenery, an immeasurably flat country, with yellow grass, which seems to have been merely overflowed a little by the water, although the shores are only two feet high. Numberless ant-hills stand around. In the background we remark a forest without shade. A German prince said to Ahmed Basha in Kahira, “I have found forests here, but no shade in them.”

Two negroes greet and make signs to us, but in vain, for they do not bring oxen, and we have already to-day distrained ten. At half-past five o’clock we left this place, and sailed E.N.E. into a canal, scarcely fifty paces broad, having on the right an ambak-thicket, with a fore-ground of aquatic grass, and on the left a margin of reeds. This last is said to belong to an island, but we do not observe there either tree or shrub. After sunset, from E. to S.; then again eastward, and lastly S.S.W. The wind again becomes very slack; therefore rowing and singing, contention and strife, among the crew, who get one before the other. A short bend to N., but a bad sandy point of land for oars and poles. The wind blows from S.W., and we sail E. by S., and still somewhat N.E., when it again slackens, and we are obliged to torment ourselves in an E.N.E. direction.

We come here unexpectedly upon four rivers, according to the expression of the Arabs. The Nile separates into two arms, into those in which we had come, and in those which we had left to N.W., and afterwards at our back; again it splits into two arms above, of which the smaller one ascends upwards to E. and our arm to E.N.E. The island, the lower portion of which we saw this morning at seven o’clock, is therefore confirmed by the arm flowing away to N.W.

Baùda! Baùda! Everyone is fanning and striking off the gnats, especially in Suliman Kashef’s vessel, where the crew have armed themselves with the corollas of the giant rushes, to be used as fans. The east wind is faint, the sky cloudy, and always Libàhn to N.E. till nine o’clock. A floating island wheeled our ship round, anchor and all; this also frequently happens at night. Thermometer 18°, 25°, 28°, and 23° Reaumur.

2nd January.—Selim Capitan now asserts that he navigated, in the first expedition, this arm of the Nile in which we are at present. That arm, from which, three days ago, we returned at night, would be, according to this statement, a tributary, or an arm, ending when the water falls in a cul-de-sac. But where is now the Muts, which was pointed out to us as a nearer Nile arm, and the beginning of which ought to have shewn itself?—for we saw already the mouth of it yesterday morning near the village of Bonn. At ten o’clock we go, by the rope, to E. by S.

On the right, to the west, we remark an arm of the Nile, which can be no other than the commencement of the little one seen yesterday evening, pouring itself yonder from the east, when we were going E.N.E. It is a wonder that the Nile does not divide into far more arms in these level regions; although it may be presumed with certainty that many gohrs are lost in the reeds, or slink again to the river, without being visible by us. The stream goes from here S.E. and E., and we halt S.E. on the right shore. The river appears again to separate in front of us.

I cannot help laughing when I hear the Reïs say to the lazy sailors, “Are you Muslems or Christians?” in order to tickle their sense of honour. Yet Nazrani is more a contemptuous expression for the Christian Rajahs than for Europeans, who are called Franks; although they abuse Arnaud and his vessel, by way of pre-eminence, with the title of “Nazrani,” because his conduct towards the men is very forbidding. From one to five o’clock in continued serpentine movements between S. and E. At half-past five o’clock, some minutes S.W. by S., and then again in an easterly direction. Throughout the day I was hot, languid, and sleepy, which I looked upon as the forebodings of fever, to which my three servants had already succumbed. Now I dread the night, and an incessant yawning gives me no sweet foretaste of the future.

We work over the shallows from W. by S. to E.N.E., and sail lastly, after sunset, at half-past six o’clock, slowly in a bend to E.S.E., and immediately W.N.W., and in eight minutes S.S.E. We tried, by using oars, poles, and sails, to get to N.E., and then halted. Here we saw to the N.E. an arm of the Nile flowing to S., the mouth of which we ought to have seen yesterday, and it may therefore probably be the Muts. Subsequently, when all had gone to sleep, a violent habùb threw the ship on shore; but the wind soon veered to our advantage. Thermometer 18°, 26°, to 28°, and 25°.

3rd. January—This morning a thick mist, and the hygrometer 92°. In the early part, towing to E.S.E. We sail at eight o’clock with a still changeable north wind to S.S.E., and about nine o’clock to S. Here, on the right low shore, where stands some scanty grass, flows a small canal to the left into the plain to the N.E., and leads probably to a shallow lake or a low ground, discharging its water in this way. The negroes, who appear to me to be generally vigorous Icthyophagists, have established a fishing weir here at the entrance of this outlet. It consists of a double row of strong stakes, having between them a deep hole and two openings to let in the fish. We see by the fresh earth thrown up, that this canal is cleaned out. Probably the natives take the fish retreating with the water subsiding, and emptying itself into the Nile, in these passes formed with stakes, by means of baskets, and the larger ones by harpoons. No tree, and scarcely any ambaks in the shape of green hills, are seen.

SHEIKH DIM. — CLUBS OF THE KEKS AND CAPS SIMILAR TO THOSE OF THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PRIESTS. — RAPACITY OF THE CREW. — TRIBUTARY LAKES. — HEIGHT OF THE SHORES. — THE TRIBE OF THE BUNDURIÀLS. — DUSHÒÏL, THE KEK, ON BOARD SELÌM CAPITAN’S VESSEL. — HIS SIMPLICITY. — TOBACCO PLANTATIONS. — THE GREAT SHEIKH OF THE BUNDURIÀLS. — FISHING IMPLEMENTS OF THIS TRIBE. — THEIR TOKULS, AND GIGANTIC SIZE OF THE MEN. — ANTELOPES OF THE ARIEL SPECIES. — APATHY OF THE CREW, AND INDIFFERENCE AT THE LOSS OF THEIR COMPANIONS. — PHILOSOPHY OF A NATIVE. — SINGULAR CONTRAST BETWEEN THE FEATURES OF THE SHEIKHS AND THE OTHER NEGROES. — NATION OF THE BOHRS. — THIBAUT’S BARTER. — REED-STRAW ON FIRE, AND DANGER TO THE VESSELS. — FATALISM OF THE TURKS. — GREETING OF THE NATIVES: THEIR SONG OF WELCOME.

5th January.—At sunrise we sail E.S.E., and see immediately, on the right shore, a herdsman’s, or man’s village, to which a woman’s village, with thirty-three regular tokuls, joins, and where I saw seven sürtuks lying behind the houses. We wait again for cattle above the village, and I remark among the crowd of people our dear and faithful sheikh of Dim, or Dièm, who seems to wish to accompany us through his kingdom: he is very easily recognised among the ash-coloured men, even from a distance, by his red shirt. Not to offend the good people, we went ashore again. The majority of the Keks still wear their ivory rings round the upper part of the left arm, and likewise have only one hole in their ear. They made their appearance here without weapons; but brought, however, clubs of ebony, decreasing in thickness towards the top and bottom, fluted, and about two inches thick in the middle. In order to grasp them more firmly, there was not only a thong of leather for the grip, but also a ring of skin, or of the inside bark of a tree, woven around the handle. I saw here a pair of felt caps, rising to the top in the form of a bomb, and thick enough to ward off a blow from a club. This is the second time that I have seen a covering for the head exactly similar to the cap of the ancient Egyptian priests. These children of men have, however, a dreadful and truly horrible appearance, for the face, through the black patches of perspiration and the white crust of ashes, is like black-veined marble; although the form of the body, generally six feet high, and even of the head, notwithstanding the mouth projects a little among the generality of them, is not at all amiss; yet, perhaps, on the whole, it may be a little clownish.

At eight o’clock we advance with libàhn farther to E.; then the Nile winds to the right, and we are, at nine o’clock, S.E. Here we see on the right shore a gohr, that may be compared to a large millbrook. The negroes seem to consider this gohr as a boundary where they can see us once more and wish us farewell. Yet there is only one who lays his hands crossways on his shoulders, bends his body forward, and lets it fall upon his knees. This truly has a very humble appearance, and may be an Ethiopian bow. We have already lost the charm of novelty in the eyes of the people: they see that we eat and drink like themselves, and, by the bye, rob and steal; that everything suits us which is of great value amongst them, and that they must content themselves with a few beads when once the booty is in Turkish or Arabian hands. If we consider this nation, we start the question, how is it possible that it could have remained from eternity in this primitive grade of civilisation? From what mountains have they descended? The surface of the earth here is scarcely even now capable of receiving and supporting colonies of such a nature; perhaps their earlier settlements were beyond the old shores in the Gallas and Habas.

Whilst we come slowly up the river, the negroes remain standing right and left on the shore; they do not sing and jump, and we remark no astonishment in their faces. The next question which they put to themselves may perhaps be, “What do these strangers want here? What can they wish but our riches?” Let us ask the first best Turk or Arab what are we doing here? He knows not; he does not comprehend the aim of such an expedition, where there is no robbery, no plunder, no kidnapping. Turks do not think that any colonisation is possible, for their own country is already too extensive for them, and will remain so, indeed, till a perfect regeneration of it by conquering nations. Immeasurable tracts of land lie here vacant and uncultivated; but only the negro, baked as he is, can stand the heat of the sun. He must, however, sacrifice to the climate the greatest number of his teeth; this alone shews the diseases peculiar to the marsh regions.

It is surprising that I nowhere see any elephants’ tusks, though said to be so common here. About half past ten o’clock, S.S.E. On the right a lake, running tolerably even with the river, narrow at its southern point, more than an hour long, and three-quarters of an hour broad. The Haba, with its videttes of old shores behind, draws nearer before us. The right shore is a vast semicircle, circumscribed by isolated trees, with many green grass-plats, pools, ambaks, and a kind of acacia, with yellow clusters of flowers, like the gold-rain of the laburnum. To judge from the many pools, the river does not appear yet to have receded entirely, although the nearest shore-land is already burnt away, right and left. We sail half an hour, but the northern wind is too faint, and we come to its assistance by towing. The stream is about five hundred paces broad, and does not seem here to receive any tributaries.

A number of birds of prey pursue our vessels, in order, by a bold attack, to seize the meat strung on lines. We know, even at a distance, when a village is deserted, because it is immediately taken possession of by these legions of the air, and rummaged in all corners, in a very impudent manner. The natives on both shores have here directly at hand another free and worthy position. A long village, on the right shore, was by way of a joke called Dennap (tail). The first group consisted of thirty-five tokuls, on elevated ground; we only saw there old women and two old men. Our sailors, who were towing, immediately shot at the vultures whirling round over us through the village—forced open the doors of the huts, made of reeds or animal skins, and stole the hides lying there for beds, and whatever else was near. My loud abuse and threats brought them, however, into something like reason. This tokul group was followed by a double and threefold row of tokuls, about one hundred and twenty in number, on the high border of the river; therefore it had the appearance of an artificial dam, but may perhaps have been elevated gradually by the rudera of the tokuls themselves. A herdsman’s village joined on to the tokuls, numbering only thirty-one huts, and some square sheds, the flat reed-roofs of which were covered with earth and ashes. Negroes sat under them to be protected from the sun, and allowed us quietly to draw near, without making “Fantasie,” as our men wished. We stop near the village till three o’clock: its inhabitants appear mostly to have fled. We then advance for a time libàhn, and halt again, without any object.

At five o’clock we again advance to the south, for the natives do not shew themselves. On the left we notice one, and on the right two, lakes. We see, from the mast, at the distance of a quarter of an hour, a lake of an hour long, and half of that in breadth; and some hundred paces at the side of the left shore, a lake, not broad, but, judging from the green grass, about two hours’ long. Behind, towards the west, another lake shews itself, on the margin of which the Haba recedes about an hour and a half; and behind us also, on the left shore, a third lake to N.W. In front, towards S.S.W., a lake, behind which another, in S.S.W., in the obtuse angle formed by the river there to the right shore; therefore, at one glance we observed five lakes on the left shore, joining, very certainly, at high-water, and taking up an enormous space. There is no tree to be seen on the left to announce the far-distant right shore; yet a margin of wood shews itself in the distance on the left from E.S.E. to W. The air appears to be clearer, for I see the smoke, in many places, ascending straight up. At sunset we have the lake at our side, which lies, at five o’clock, S.S.W. of us, and behind it another strip of water flashes up in the south. From S. we go again in a semicircle to E. and N.E., and immediately again southward. We sail, indeed, since five o’clock, but have made, deducting the water-course, which has gradually got up again to a mile in rapidity, scarcely half a mile in the hour. At seven o’clock, E.N.E., and at eight o’clock S. by E., and soon afterwards from W.S.W. to S. and S.E. to E., from E. to S.W., E.S.E., and N.E., sometimes with the sails, sometimes libàhn, equally quick, for the north wind is very slack. In the level extensive arch, S. by W. to S.S.W., at last we halt at the corner, where the river winds to N.E. A large lake twinkles here on the left shore. The river retains, generally, a breadth of about five hundred paces; its depth is here two fathoms and a half. This seldom amounts to more than three, and was to-day, in one part, only two fathoms.

Nevertheless, the river always contains a large quantity of water, for the shores, precipitous and deep, nearly fall away in a right angle. It is surprising that we have not yet found a flint, or any other stone, in the Nile sand. The Mountains of the Moon must therefore be still far distant from us. The thermometer, at sunrise, 20°, at ten o’clock 26°, at twelve o’clock 27°, and rose till three o’clock to 29°. After sunset, 26°, a heat too great for me, as I was not well; although I had borne, at Khartùm, on the shores of the Blue river, a heat of 42° to 45° throughout the hot days; and was subsequently to endure, in the city of Sennaar, for three days, at three o’clock in the afternoon, 48° Reaumur.

6th January.—The Haba goes to the east, under the horizon, in the position in which we cast anchor this morning to S.S.W. It seems, therefore, that we shall approach again the firm line of the left old shore, by surprising windings; for the right has been unfaithful. Nothing is to be seen of it except the high bed of the primitive river, or a valley watered by the stream, partly laid on dry ground, over which the Nile flows, from time to time, with its waves, or rolls here and there into it at its pleasure. We proceed with libàhn around the corner mentioned, to N.N.E., but, after a short time, with a sharp wind, to E.S.E., where the river is remarkably contracted. An hour from the left shore is a large lake, wherein are fishermen; close to us a large fish-pond. The stream has, by the choking up and alteration of its bed, left behind numberless such fish-ponds, in a greater or smaller degree. The Icthyophagi only need for the in and out letting of the Nile water, to keep open the canals connected with the stream, so as to have continually an abundance of fish. From E.S.E. we go in a shallow bend again to S.E., where we spread sails.

Now, at eight o’clock, again in this circle, to S.W. by W., and we came in this manner closer to the old wood, as I had previously conjectured. The river appears really by this means to wish to keep more to the left old shore; for even the right side of the reeds is here generally higher than the left. It is clear, and the evidence of the eye-sight teaches us, that the shores, in almost all places where old or choked-up water-courses do not run into the land, are remarkably higher than the surface of the earth immediately behind, as is plainly perceived in the stream territory of the United Nile, which has been cultivated for thousands of years. The latter especially struck me when, on my return to Egypt, I met with newly dug canals, which were yet without bridges, and their banks so sloping, that I was often obliged to ride up towards the mountains or along their channel. The bed of the canal was always lower up the country, although it lay on an equal line with the mouth of the Nile. This rise in the bed of the stream exactly explains here, as well as in Egypt, the inundations. They form then, in connection with the tropical rains, numberless sloughs, ponds, and lakes, which must collect and completely evaporate in these long basins, were they not artificially diverted by the natives for the purpose of fishing, through incisions in the shore-dams, when the Nile falls.

Half-past eight o’clock. From S.W. by W. we go in the circle on to S., E., N. to N.W. by W., where we lay-to at ten o’clock. It only wanted 85° of a perfect circle. From this gyration, forwarding but little our journey, we go in a bend to N., and then to E. A gentle north wind sets in, called even by the crew, Hauer badlàhn (faint wind). My good countryman, who ought to refresh me again, is really extremely weak, and deserts us entirely in a quarter of an hour. Suddenly the wind blows against us from the south; and it would be an evil thing for our voyage if south winds should now set in, although we must not expect constancy in the winds in these equatorial regions of Central Africa, judging from our present experience of them. Eleven o’clock, to S.E.; twelve o’clock, S.S.E. A city with several tokuls seems to obstruct our road, and, as it were, to invite us.

We stopped, therefore, in a south-easterly direction before three o’clock, near the well-built village, which, at a distance, appears larger than it is; it numbers thirty-five tokuls, and is named Papio, and is the first village of a tribe calling themselves Bunduriàls. The name of the sheikh who came to meet us at the shore is Wadshia-Koï. On the right shore, up the country, the Tutui are said to dwell, but no huts are to be seen there. These Bunduriàls speak the language of the Keks,—a dialect closely allied to that of the Dinkas. In their powerful form of body they are also similar to the Dinkas, only better built; and their women smaller than the giant forms of the Dinka women, with their angular shoulders. Almost all the people here had a white feather in the black hair-bonnet on their heads. The latitude is, according to Selim Capitan, 5° 11′.

The river, which for some days has decreased in depth, amounts to two fathoms and a half, near the village of Papio, and, as I ascertained myself, to only two higher up. This is truly a considerable difference compared with the lower course of the river, but there always remains still a large mass of water in the breadth of two hundred to three hundred paces, near the precipitous falling-away shores. The rapidity of the river remains, on an average, one mile, yet less where the water is deeper. I have been since noon with Suliman Kashef and Feïzulla, on board Selim Capitan’s vessel. The latter has continually a sailor on the mast, and has counted eight lakes from yesterday noon till to-day. At half-past five o’clock libàhn to S.S.E., where a small lake is perceived on the left shore. A little after sun-set we halt for a moment, because the men are nearly worked to death with towing in the reeds, which are twice the height of a man. The thermometer, shewing before sun-rise 24°, and at noon 28°, had got up at three o’clock to 32°, and fell at sun-set to 30°. We went very slowly with a gentle north wind to S. by W., to N.E., and then right round to S.S.W. Selim Capitan is really very attentive at his post, although his momentary activity arises partly from our presence. I praise him, by way of encouragement, to induce him to go on as far as we can. About half-past six o’clock, we sailed with the wind blowing fresh S.S.W., and had three miles’ course, in a wide bend to S.E., till eight o’clock, and at half-past eight S.W., where a small island lay on our right; then a short tract S.E., and lastly E.

Selim-Capitan has a native on board, who is of the race of the Keks, and whose home was at Bakàk, near the village of Dim. His name is Dushóïl; he is a jolly old dog, with a half-blind eye. He journeyed with the expedition last year, and seems to have a natural talent for languages, for he managed to make himself understood generally with our blacks. I am able, therefore, to learn something from him. He calls the Nile “Kir,” and not Kiati, or Kiti; but I cannot vouch for it that I have rightly caught his pronunciation, incredible as this may appear. Water to drink, is “Piju;” good, “affiàt,” and “abàt;” bad, “arrashd,” or “arràdsh” (spoken with a humming sound); nothing, “liju;” to eat, “tshiàn;” mountain, “kur;” come, “Bà;” Hallo, men, “Ajajà!” His countrymen do not appear to be idol worshippers, and recognize a great God, who dwells much higher, or is like the mast of the ship, which he always pointed at to express His grandeur.

The name of the great Mek of the Keks is Kajòk: he does not know where he dwells, or perhaps may not wish to say, as well as many other things on which he was asked. It is probable that I was right in my former assertion, that their king is called Ajol, and his village Gòg, for he may connect both words in his indistinct language. He treats his own name also in a similar manner, by appending the word Dim, and then calls himself Dsholi-Dim. The Keks, as also the Bunduriàls, take the iron for their spears and arrows from the region of Arol, the mountain of which lies towards the west, and cannot be seen here, owing to the trees. Another tribe dwells there. From this place they fetch their copper for the few earrings that they wear, and upon which they do not seem to lay any particular value. I was glad that I was at his elbow for some time, although the coarse jokes of the Turks, in which even Selim-Capitan’s servants took part, annoyed me. He is a good fellow, and is obliged now to do at Rome as the Romans do. He could not pronounce C in the alphabet, but always said T, and swelled the tone at every repetition, without being able to come nearer to the pronunciation. He sang, screamed, and danced just as one wished: meat dried in the sun was given him; but he soon said, laughing, “Arrádsh,” because it agreed with his teeth as little as the dry biscuit did. A pipe was brought him to smoke, but the crew had filled it at the bottom with powder, which exploded; on account of this, he would not smoke any more, and was afraid even of a lantern, when one was brought close to him. Soon afterwards, he took the ashes from all the pipes, and put them in his mouth with the burnt tobacco. Hereupon I gave him some tobacco in his hand, which he kneaded together into a quid, and took in his mouth. A roasted leg of mutton was afterwards handed to him, and the cat immediately approached. He fairly divided it with her, and took great pleasure in this animal, because it could climb up the ropes. Then he was a long time enticing two young goats, by whistling, and calling “Suk-suk-suk,”—nature’s sounds, even used by us—and played with them as if they were his children. One of his principal songs began with “Abandejo,” and he managed to imitate the chorus, “Wai, wai, Abandejo,” &c.