Chapter I (2)

In the warmest part of the day, two o’clock P.M., the Pascha was again the first to mount his dromedary, and it really seemed as if he desired to find out how much himself and followers could endure. At rapid pace he rode on along the banks of the Nile, past the pyramids of Assur (to which I shall revert), through bushes and past some single Doum-palms, till he came to the village of El Djebl or Djebelab, situated in a small horse-shoe like bend of the hills. Before, when on our journey up to Sennaar, I had placed Joseph, who some days before had succumbed under the sun-stroke, beneath one of these palms, left him there, and at his repeated request had ridden on to examine the pyramids and their neighbourhood; but during my absence he was so annoyed by the blue- tailed lizards running backwards and forwards (his abhorrence) over him, that on my return I found he had left his position and been carried, more dead than alive, into the boat. The road at the foot of the hills was villanous, and most dangerous from the large stones, that had rolled down from above, and Joseph’s dromedary threatened, from the rapid pace, to fall at every step, he no longer having power remaining to support it or himself. After being led and borne for some way by Abdallah and the Bedouin, my brother managed, but on foot, to reach the village on the hill range where the Pascha had halted, though he was too weak to go to him and beg for a boat. There he passed the night in fever and delirium, on an angareb (the common bed place of the country, formed of small strips of plaited camel hide crossed on a frame), and in the morning felt so enfeebled, that he despaired of ever recovering, and only hoped once again to behold me, to warn me to quit the country. As good luck would have it, there was then in that neighbourhood a boat of our friend, the merchant Hassam Mosnùr from Berber; this was put into requisition. Placed on an ass, and held on it, Joseph rode over a well cultivated plain, regularly watered by irrigating channels filled from the Nile by water-wheels; and along with the Pascha’s secretary, the Copt Chakill, embarked in the boat, in which, after daily attacks of fever, he at length, on the morning of the 17th of March, arrived, when sleeping soundly, at Damer. Even my lot had not been so bad as this, but now again we could both breathe freely, and heart and courage revived again.

_20th March._—It was said we were to march at L’Asser, so we could not carry out our plans of together visiting the pyramids; as I have already given an account of my visit to them in my “Journey to the Source of the White Nile” (p. 55.), I shall not repeat it here. It seems, however, beyond a doubt to me,—who before leaving Bellad-Sudan also visited the mystic city of Mandera which many, without having seen it, are inclined to hold as the ancient city of Meroe,—that this ancient island city of Meroe did in former days extend along the Nile at the valley of Bach’r amie, westward from the pyramids.[5] The river has since those days retired, as there are now to be seen, some two hundred paces from it, foundation walls and remains of buildings, behind which I hit on four male sphinxes, one of which a young vagabond, who had run after us, mounting, claimed as his horse.

I had persuaded my brother to purchase from Sheik Soliman a small, smooth-going dromedary, as the tall, hard-trotting ones the Pascha had presented to us at Chartum were likely to have thrown him into a fit of apoplexy, his slender form not being able to withstand rough usage and constant joltings like my much stronger one. His ride from Schendy having so much injured him, led me to mount outside the camp this new purchase of his, a lively little animal, a bischari, and I may say as boldly as when I, a boy, was thrown on the so-called wild horse of the stud at Embscher-Bruch, in Westphalia, much to my kind old father’s delight and rejoicing, who, as he ran alongside, holding the caveson, and delighting in his son’s bravery and daring, little suspected this would afterwards cost him so much money. Riding here, however, was a different thing—no mane or saddle-bow for the boy to hold on by, nor any saddle or stirrup for the trained horseman: my brother laughed, but I held myself together, and all went on well. The saddle was certainly desperately slippery, although I did get some hold on it, when, after the custom of the riders here, I crossed my legs over its bow. The rich Turks always spread over the saddle a long-haired, red-coloured ram’s fleece, like that thrown over a Hungarian coach-box; so we had two carpets (Siggadi), and our great dromedaries brought out, and one fastened over each of the saddles. The Zais (inspector of horses and fore-rider) of the Pascha and I placed ourselves on the taller dromedaries, and I looked proudly down on my brother, mounted on his small animal. We rode under the Zais’s instructions, and fancied we were gaining some slight insight into the business, as we held in our left hands the halter and rein drawn through the left nostril, used for turning, and flourished the kurbasch in our right. The two-humped camel (C. Bactrianus) is unknown here; those used are smooth-haired, fine- coated, and of bright colour as any blood horse. The camel and dromedary are the same species, and there is no more difference between them than between a cart and a race-horse. The camels are trained to lie down for loading and unloading, and the signal for so doing is given by a peculiar sound made by drawing in the breath through the teeth, and a gentle stroke of the whip above the knees. The dromedary is called hagihn; the camel, the chimmal, plur. chomal.

We had, at dawn of morning, started on an inspection of this ruined city, Damer, to see if any ancient remains were to be found; but neither brick nor hewn stone did we see. The houses not yet crumbled into ruins were built of meteoric stone (top).[6] We made our way into a couple of such houses; inside all was dark, as windows there were none, but a few round or angular holes up near the flat roofs, such as are in the sloping walls of Egyptian temples. By these means greater strength is lent to the bad material used in building, and this is evident in the high towers or loam castles in the land of Barabra, and from the enduring remains of the pylones of the temples. Any one who doubts the durability of such loam edifices may soon be convinced both of this and the high national liking for them, by examining these old buildings. We generally found in the houses two monstrous clay jars, some six or eight feet high, such as are common also in Greece, for the storing of grain, bread, &c.; one bed-place for the whole family, and a bench or settle, spread with mats, and raised some three or four feet from the ground. The other houses were the common Æthiopian tokuls, to which was attached an oblong bower of wicker-work, a tolerably cool abode, and called a Recuba. The tokul is formed by a circular loam wall, with a pointed roof placed on it; and such huts, with little difference, are to be found in every part of Africa and certain parts of America—Guiana, for instance, where, probably, the negroes introduced them. On entering one of these huts we were welcomed by a Turk from Bosnia, who, with grave face, told my brother he possessed a certain herb that would, in three or four days, perfectly cure broken bones; but he would not produce this wondrous plant, as he feared my brother might steal his secret. We also here heard that at the point of land where the Atbara runs into the Nile there was a village called Kenisse (meaning Church or Christian ruins), where were many old buildings (bint gaddim), in which bricks might be found. That in very early times the Christian faith spread widely in Æthiopia is well known, and we were about to start on a second trial ride to Kenisse, when we were told it was certain that the Pascha would set out at midday or afternoon.

We set about arranging our traps into camel-loads, a camel carrying about three cwts., so that all might be in order. To our cook, Achmet, as the most necessary attendant on the march, we assigned a dromedary, and loaded it with our most valuable articles, so as to always have these near us, as much was to be feared for all baggage that went with the rear-guard, this being much exposed to be cut off or plundered. In these climes water is ever a first consideration, and to each soldier had been served out a small leathern flask, while on our camels were placed many water-skins (girbe), and yet Achmet had, in addition, to hang on the shady side of his beast another water-skin, made of the untanned hide of an antelope, as we wished to preserve our own two water-filled sensamien (bags of leather, fitted with a mouthpiece, screwed in, with a hole and straw or reed to drink from) untouched, in case of any bursting; and also as the water in these keeps cooler, being able to ooze through the pores, which is not the case with the girbes, as so doing would cause too great loss. Then we had also to convey the hammab, a tripod six feet high, indispensable in warm countries at unloading or camping, to hang the water-skins on, as the ground is so hot as to suck up all the water, and where no hammab is to be got, some other means of keeping the skins off the earth is always invented. These water-skins are without seam; the heads of the animals are generally cut off (usually sheep or goats are the sufferers), their skins worked off the body, without outward cut, down to the lower joints of the legs, that are left hanging on the skin, and bound across two and two, or crosswise, to keep all firm and united; the neck of the hide forms the mouth, and is firmly bound round and round with strong cord. Some practice is required to drink while riding, out of one of these, without spilling much water, which, often being more valuable than all other treasures, it is ever looked on as a serious fault to waste. Besides some clean linen and clothing in a leathern bag (jurab), Achmet had on the other side our cotton-stuffed pillows; his saddle was formed of two Abyssinian cow-hides, placed above each other, intended to be used under our carpets, and these proved a most excellent protection against the numerous thorns that covered the soil, or when covered with two great white barakans, folded four times together, formed a very perfect sleeping-place for us when suffering from cold or fever. Atop of all this high-piled load sat the cook himself. We had entrusted to his care some of our arms, three guns and an old-fashioned pistol, with some ammunition; two of the first he had fastened to his dromedary, as we carried our double-barrelled rifles, but a long Turkish gun he had hung over his neck, surely no very comfortable companion during a long, sharp ride. In addition to our double rifles, that we could have in our hands in an instant, we also carried pistols, strung in a belt instead of being stuck in the girdle, and by our sides hung proudly our cavalry swords,—our Turkish sabres, too light for our unaccustomed hands, having been safely stowed away in our chests. Our cook had wisely provided himself with some of the needful tools of his trade, things that neither Joseph or I had thought of. This seems a long list, but still it is but a very poor one of all required for a journey in this land.

At three o’clock in the afternoon (fi l’Asser), a cannon was fired, and soon a sudden commotion and stir was evident in the camp, this being the signal for starting. In an instant our tent was down, and as each camel lay already with shackled knee, between the chests and bags intended for it, and our girbes were ere now filled, all was so quickly laden that our people were at the head of the train, where by our orders they were to keep. We ourselves, mounting, rode up to the Pascha, who had halted to the eastward of Damer, his saddled horses and dromedaries drawn up behind, and here out of the bustle was making his further arrangements at his ease. He growled at the great disorder, but consoled himself that in future things would go on better. It was, indeed, a most varied scene: the Turkish cavalry, in their national dress of every hue and colour, with yellow or green standards and small kettle-drums; the cavalry of the Schaigies and Mograbin Arabs on horses, dromedaries, and on foot; the Sheiks and Moluk (little kings), with their little arm- bearers behind them on the same camels, with spears, lances, swords and shields of leather; the numerous asses and camels, the former led by the halter by almost every second infantry soldier, so that the owners might ride in turn; drums, trumpets, and all kinds of deafening music, &c. The Chabir (caravan leader), with lance and shield, was on his dromedary, far in advance; him we followed, along with the Pascha, who was on horseback, and with picturesque disorder each detachment freed itself from the confused crowd, and came on in our track. The artillery consisted of two field-pieces drawn by camels which the Pascha had trained to this work, to take the place of the usual mules in the desert. Abd-el-Kader, the jovial Topschi Baschi, mounted on his mule, led them on. The Turks, the greater number of whom were Circassians, the Kurds, Arnauts, or Albanians, who an hour before could hardly put one leg before another, were now changed men; the instant they were in their saddles they were galloping like madmen round the Pascha, and thrashing their horses with as little compassion as if they had been intoxicated with opium. But all this was in honour of the Pascha, and a show-off before him of their invincible courage. The way lay over the desert, but was tolerably well marked out. Towards morning the Pascha, accompanied by the Chabir, rode on in advance; but we did not follow him, as I felt unwell. It was dark night when we reached the left bank of the Atbara, where, throwing ourselves down among the bushes, we sought sleep, without waiting or caring for food.

In the morning we commenced looking about us, and came on two Saghies or water-wheels of the Kabyle Omerab. The Atbara is a fine, clear river, with high banks, pretty deep, though here fordable, and at this ford the Pascha posted a guard of forty men, so that the enemy might not take us in the rear. The country on the right bank of the river was yet called Daghela; the forest opposite is a swamp, in which were yet to be seen many lakes full of water, and also a dry river bed, which, from its considerable breadth, must, at times, pour a large body of water into the Atbara. Some Omerabs having joined us, we asked the name of this gohr or rain-brook—often, in tropical climes, of great size and importance—running into the Atbara; to our surprise he answered el Mogren, which immediately reminded us of Father Burckhardt, who so named the lower part of the Atbara. We also knew right well that Mogren means the spot where two rivers join, as in the case of the Blue and White Niles; but here we were told, most distinctly, that the gohr itself was named Mogren. Unfortunately, we did not ask if the people on the opposite side of the Mogren do not sometimes apply that name to the Atbara, down to its junction with the Nile, and if the gohr was to be merely looked on as an auxiliary stream, and included in the name. The Dutchman does not blush to call the main stream of the Rhine the Waal, because a river of that name, on which, perhaps, he once dwelt and still loves, runs into it and flows on with it into the ocean, but hails all on its banks as his countrymen. In Taka I saw the great Gohr-el-Gash, the waters of which are said to vanish—how, if this monstrous mass of water, which it is impossible the earth can drink in, were to collect again in the low lands and form this mogren? and this, the direction of the Gohr-el-Gash, and the slope of the country seem to me but too plainly to point out. Whence the gohr comes they know not; “min fok,” (from above) they said, and that in the rainy season it gathers from all sides, from which gathering may be the peculiar meaning of the word gohr.

The high banks on our side of the river, were at this season covered with luxuriant, beautiful turf, with strong, fruit-laden Dom-palms (Cucifera Thebaica), mimosas, and large thorn trees (nebbek), the bright green of which lent a freshness and enlivening colour to the scene, hardly to have been looked for from the slimy, sandy soil. The Atbara was some 150 or 200 paces broad, but seemed, from the distance of the opposite bank, to have, when full, a breadth of 600 or 800 paces. The banks consisted of layers of sandstone, and it was plainly visible, that this sandstone was in a continuous state of forming, as in some spots it was very soft, and in these we found encrusted wood and petrifactions, but no conchylites. Further upwards, the soil was good, the land well cultivated and sown with durra[7], divided off into small squares, intersected with narrow channels or canals; but we saw no saghies (water-wheels), so either must the river’s overflowings have been guided into these canals, or they must have been filled by means of water-tight baskets (saduff), as in Nubia and elsewhere. We saw no one who could give us any information about this, and at midday returned to the camp, as we had been warned to keep near it, the tribes of this neighbourhood being neither most friendly nor trustworthy.

_21st March._—On starting on our excursion this morning, we had felt pretty well, but now we suddenly felt as ill and downcast as ever, but the cannon-shot re-echoed through the wood, and all must mount again. At first steppes that threw back the sun’s rays most dreadfully on us; we drove before us herds of thirty or forty gazelles, the Pascha and Turks setting off in chase of them. Ere long we again approached the river, where the most luxuriant vegetation was visible, also many Dom-palms, cut across under the crown (pollarded), the more easily to get at their branches for mats and ropes, though this kills the trees. Large fields there were none, but merely cultivated patches, and the green turf extending under the trees on the river’s banks, as in Germany. The soil was dark, and seemed of similar quality to that of the Nile banks, cut up like it also, but in smaller polygons. A considerable deposit of slime was to be seen on the rough bark of the lower part of the trees; and were the height of these slime-marks carried out in a horizontal line over the land, the river’s overflow would seem to reach to the stony ridges of the invariably higher desert land. Riding was most perilous, partly from the thorny trees with reversed hooks, strong enough to tear clothes from the body, or eyes out of one’s head (and eyes were lost by some), partly from the crowding, when all had to make, in the dark, their way as well as they could, and then, from the ground being saturated with water, falls were many and severe. At last, at midnight, after a march of ten hours, a halt was made, not one of half an hour’s duration having, until now, been allowed. In the Pascha’s neighbourhood, a fire was kindled, but we sought out a dark spot behind a bush on the river’s bank, and at once lay down, and so wearied was I, that I would not even drink the coffee which the old Deli Mustapha, the Pascha’s kawedschi, brought us. One must have experienced what that weariness is, which, brought on and conjoined with illness, goes so far as to lead him to despise the choicest food rather than arouse himself to partake of it, to judge of my state.

_22nd March._—The river’s course here is from south-east to north-west, though as yesterday, any current is hardly perceptible. The banks are distant from each other, and the river is yet some 150 or 200 paces in width,—the bed sandstone, the country beautiful and green as yesterday, larger durra fields, but only two water-wheels. The Atbara is not rich in fish, but crocodiles and Nile-horses abide in the deeper places the whole year through. We saw and heard many geese and ducks, but did not disturb them, as, had we shot them we could not have got them; other birds we saw not, nor did we fall in, outside the camp, with any natives, all of whom seemed, like the Omerabs, to have got out of the army’s way, the Sheik of the latter, alone, being with the camp, and accompanying it through his country. From the fissures of the sandstone in the river’s bed sprouted up a splendid species of willow, with bright green leaves, like a freshly shot oleander, full cup-shaped white blossoms, and odour like jessamine, but not so pungent or agreeable; pistils full of white bitter milky fluid; seed very small and hanging in threads of a finger’s length, intersecting each other like a spider’s web. The river makes great windings between its wildly beautiful banks, from which the trees hang down, often touching the water, and in many places having fallen into it, render its navigation somewhat difficult, though these hindrances could be easily overcome. The increasing heat, accompanied by a hotter wind, that blew disagreeably round our brows, sent us back to the camp. This district of country has as inhabitants, the Kabyle of Kammarabs, who are a considerable tribe, and extend southward to the lands of the Schukurie, under the great Sheik, Abu Sind, and has, as its superior chief, the great Sheik, Aburof. On the opposite right bank of the Atbara live the Kabyle of the Anafidab, a most thievish race, and much given to plunder and steal the Kammarab’s camels. The Anafidab are of the race or tribe (Gins) of the Bischari, and form a kabyle (clan or community) of their own, under their own chiefs.[8] We hear, that all grain, to be had here and hereabouts, is to be delivered up at the six day’s journey distant from here, Gos Rajeb, where a great magazine is to be formed.

The cannon was fired at midday, just as we had finished our meal; although at first seeing this I had felt little appetite, and almost loathed food, still I tried to eat; but suddenly I became seriously ill, and beheld with horror our tent struck over my head, my bed, too, packed up, and ourselves with our servants, obliged to follow the army. I could not mount, I felt as if the sun was heaping glowing coals on my head, but did not lose my consciousness. My brother and I, therefore, resolved to remain behind till the heat of the day was over, and ride on after the crisis was past, if I was ever to get over it. Supported by Joseph and Achmet, I was led to a Dom-palm, near which I sank down, as if dead, under shade, certainly, but on the burning earth. A fearful vomiting and dysentery, sending sweat from every pore, attacked me; I could not remain lying on my carpet, but to keep in the shade, I had, with my trowsers about my heels, to crawl on the sand, round and round the tree, while the spot I had quitted was covered over with clean sand. Dr. Bellotti and the apothecary, Dumont, having heard I was dying, had quitted the army’s slow train, and come to see for themselves, if the report was true or not. They advised me to give up the expedition, the Italian, contrary to my brother’s opinion however, holding my case as most serious. I made Bellotti a sign, and as he bent over me, prayed him, in case of my death, to do his utmost to persuade Joseph to quit Bellad Sudan, and then he could fill all his good posts. Dumont could hardly restrain his laughter, and the two mounted and rode off. Never in my life have I longed for sunset as I then did; the very last sun beams seemed to effect my hair, as if each separate one was electrified and discharging the fluid into my bursting head. Hardly was the torturing sun under the horizon when I felt much better, could again stand up and move slowly about. Good humoured Arab herd lads approached our fire, pitied my state, and brought me milk and durra bread.[9] It was a beautiful evening, the full moon glittering on the waters of the Atbara, silvered the dark crowns of the Dom-palms; wild geese now and then screamed, and some pigeons cooed round us,—all else was silence.

_23rd March._—There is a deep pleasure in sleeping in the open air, where weather and climate will permit. Often had I in Greece, even when most sleepy, sought the free air, and, particularly at Nauplia, mounted up to the higher Herculesburg of Tirynth and the rocks of Palmedes, and there passed the night. What a waking in the divine dawn of beauteous, freest Nature! Much restored, two hours before sunrise, we mounted our dromedaries, but did not long trust ourselves in the sun, as at his first beams we dismounted at the tents of some Arabs of the Kabyle of the Kammarabs. We were hospitably received, and entertained with milk and bread; ere long they brought us a great wooden dish (gadda) of the lochma, a stiff soup or batter of durra-meal (hagien), with a hollow in its centre full of butter, and, even when only eaten with the hands, no bad food. At least a dozen men would have found sufficient to eat in this Arab polenta. The baker’s oven, or brick-kilnlike tents (birsch; tents of canvass, gemma; those on boats, denda), are formed of mats of palm-leaves, stretched over boughs, low before but high at the back, where there is a sort of elevated bed-place, or divan, covered with palm mats, and over these a kind of reed-stalks, split fine, is bound by small stripes of hide. This elevation, when used as a bed or seat, is protected from cold wind and curiosity, by being hung round by black and white striped coarse woollen coverlets, and this part of the tent is called the beit, or house. Of such tents some thirty were here, not placed in the shade, but somewhat distant from the larger trees. In the time of the tropical rains these tents are much reduced in size by their inmates, who then sit in them like snails in their shells. Such rains do not extend beyond the mouth of the forest-surrounded Atbara, and seldom bestow a shower on the Berber lands (called by the Arabs el Mucheïrof), where the loam-built towns would soon go to pieces under the torrents of the Chariff, which the tokuls are needed to withstand. The older and principal men came to visit us, and the Wokul of the Sheik, who is in attendance on the Pascha, smoked out of a bone. The country round is flat, sandy, and covered with thorn-bushes. The Dom-palms do not extend so far from the river, as they love a moist soil. Grass and herbage we saw as little of as stones, although the river seemed to overflow far here. A shrub, Tundo, with many small red flowers, very similar to our wild rose, was abundant; birds, save pigeons, very rare; but numerous large white vultures, hovering over and devouring the fallen cattle it left behind, marked the way the army had taken.

Towards evening we again were _en route_, following the track of the field-pieces, but soon had to halt again, as this guiding-trace was hid in darkness. So, like knights-errant, we turned into another settlement of Kammarabs, which was large and flourishing, and, with its numerous fires before the tents, offered a lively picture of native life. The head man received us most kindly, told us we had been commended to his care by the Pascha, who had also sent orders back to Damer that we were every where to be looked on as his friends. While we sat eating our durra bread and milk, and looking round us for sheep or goat to stick on the spit, twenty Schaigies, mounted on dromedaries, arrived, sent by the Pascha to seek us out and act as our guard. We now continued our march by moonlight, were again become great people, and looked on as Turks. We were told the tribe of Kammarabs was small, and therefore the Schaigies took the high hand, and would have made a sad business of it, had we not kept order, as in every village a guide was to be taken by force, the Arabs, holding us for Turks, putting no trust in our promise of payment. Our Schaigies proved brisk, merry fellows, and played many a mad prank to amuse us.

_24th March._—We encamped, about midnight, some distance from the river banks, and found ourselves on a Steppe. The soil was bad and sandy; the barrowlike range of hillocks, that ran from east to west, were sparingly covered with herbage and a few white flowering Mimosas. At mid-day we turned into a small village of some ten huts, belonging to the Kabyle of the Wood Naga, a branch or tribe of the Bischari. These people had no durra for our camels, or would not give us any. The head man brought us milk and durra-teig, but demanded soap and medicine in exchange. On the right bank of the Atbara here dwell the Bischari; the banks of the river are high, nor does it seem to overflow them; but that falls of rain are frequent and heavy, is plainly shown by the high grass under the thorny nebbek and Dom-palm trees. All about the banks, trees are to be seen overthrown and floating in the water. The Schaigies hunted out a deserter, and we could plainly mark the hatred in which they held the Egyptians. I promised I would obtain the Pascha’s pardon for him, and kept my word. At the next village men came at once up to us, offering us water, but for the Egyptian neither ass nor camel could be got. The huts of this village, also, were without all shade. Here, again, two guides had to be seized on by force, and our presence alone prevented our spoil-loving body-guard from plundering it. We then reached the great village Wady, which was picturesquely situated under shady trees, along the river’s bank. From hence our road lay over a wide plain, without tree or bush to afford us shelter; at midnight we halted and dismounted.

* * * * *

CHAP. III.

Rejoin the Army. — Arab Sheiks. — Ruins of Herrerem. — The Mirage. — A Country March. — Corn Stores. — A Sheik of the Hallenga. — False Alarms. — A Skirmish.

_25th March._—Before sunrise we were off again. Coffee we could not prepare, for want of wood; one of the Schaigies milked his female camel, and gave us some of its milk, which tasted fresh and excellent. We now again struck the way the army had taken. Numerous wild Kurbisse (Colocynthi) covered the ground in many places. The braying of an ass was plainly heard in this soundless waste; on we went, and came to a female ass with broken leg,—seemingly the field-piece had gone over it; a newly-dropped foal stood by the mother, over whom already circled in air the vultures; from these she seemed to call on us to protect her. The young beast was placed in a net, slung on a camel, and the old one, at our express order, shot, to save her from a lingering death. By noon we were in the camp on the Atbara.

The Pascha, seated on the ground, in the shade before his tent, had remarked us when at some distance, though we could have dispensed with seeing him ere we had first taken some rest. He was, from exposure to the sun during these last few days, much burnt, seemed ill, and suffering; he nevertheless received us with commiserating kindness, and said he had already received a message telling him of our welfare. Tired as we were, we must mount again at two hours after noon. Many gazelles were started; the Pascha, gun in hand, galloped his Arabian stallion into the midst of them; almost all the mounted people galloped like a wild hunt after him, and we also advanced at a sharp trot, to behold nearer the extempore _chasse_. We fancied our chief had fallen from his horse, so speedily had he swung himself to the ground, and with three shots he brought down three gazelles, of which, in the evening, we received a good portion roasted. The river is here pretty broad; on the opposite bank we next morning, when looking about us, perceived some crocodiles. On the river’s edge were many very beautiful pebbles; the banks are rocky and of sandstone, as is also the bed; pieces of decaying Thorn-mussel were scattered about here and there, but we saw no other shells. In spite of the day being fearfully warm, the march was continued all day till evening. My brother, from his great exertions, was taken ill, had violent headache, and felt as if drunk, but luckily slept all night. The plain we had ridden over was monotonous, covered with reedlike mimosas; the soil most sandy.

_27th March._—Joseph cannot rise, has dreadful thirst, and complains that his hair is on fire on his head. We wisely halted here till after mid-day, let the army march on before us, remaining on the river bank till the cooler evening, and then hastened on after the Pascha. On the river’s right bank was to be seen the gebl (hill) Job, or Joc, rising up, all isolated, like a pyramid: this hill was visible yesterday. To- day two other large hills have come into sight, one in the east, the other to the south. We have remarked that the birds gradually return after the army has passed on, and we only remain. The left side of the river is not cultivated, the right very much so; many large fields of durra and doggen (Sorghum saccharatum). Topschi Baschi lent my brother his easy-going mule, which gave him great relief. Gazelles were seen in large herds, hurrying back from the desert, here very sandy and deep, to the river, by paths worn by their own feet. At our camping-place to-day the heat was so great, that guns and sabres, even under the tent, could hardly be laid hold of. For the first time, the soldiers had flesh served out to them, and each captain got a sheep; on every camel and ass flesh was to be seen hanging, and the birds of heaven often approached most near to these, in their nostrils, sweet-smelling scaffolds. The right bank of the river, for the last two days’ march, was the habitation of the tribe of the Haddenda, hostile to us; to its west are the Schukurie, who live in perpetual feud with them. Two hours after sunset a halt was made, and the many fires of the camp, glittering among the trees, offered a pretty scene. Many scorpions showed themselves here, as if attracted by the heat of the fires; some we saw were a finger and a half in length, of a bright colour, one half of the tail a brown black, and covered with hair. Around us were huge flats, overgrown with long, thick, rank grasses, and in these the rain-water must stand long, probably dammed back there by the raised banks of the Atbara. The wind is warm, and by no means refreshing. For the last two evenings there have been continuous flashes of lightning in the south.

_28th March._—We encamped for this night on the river, here in some places dried up. Its high banks were evidently never hereabouts overflowed, and so no Dom-palms were visible. Mohammed Defalla, a great Sheik of the neighbourhood of Wollet-Medina, arrived with many followers. He wore a suit of double-chain armour, under this a quilted shirt, arm-braces, and handsome worked steel gauntlets. His helmet fitted to his head like a shell, having in front, instead of a visor, an iron bar coming down over the nose, and behind, to cover the neck, a small guard or curtain formed of steel rings. His sword, the most common here, was one of the horsemen’s straight swords, made in Sennaar, with plain bent hand-guard, golden hilt, with a thick crown-like knob cut out on its end. This equipment came from India, and he has forty or fifty such suits; his relations of the old royal family have whole heaps of such. Two Sheiks of the land of Taka have also arrived: handsome, tall men. Many people from the neighbourhood of Gos-Rajeb have also come to meet the Pascha, and have just dismounted from their dromedaries in the camp; they have their hair anointed and whitened with camel’s fat, which the sun’s heat has melted, and set trickling down their backs. For three hours during to-day’s march we passed over a plain extending farther than eye could reach, with long withered grass, few trees, many gazelles, and some hares. In the morning we had remarked near, and on the river, thousands of partridges, various kinds of snipes, and numerous water-fowl. Our camping-place is two hours distant from water: during the night a strong cold wind blew on us from the south.

_29th March._—To-day we were to make our entrance into Gos-Rajeb, and we were in motion before sunrise. The infantry formed two columns, the Turkish cavalry the right wing, the Schaigies and Magrabins the left. About eleven o’clock we found ourselves in this order, and deafened by drums, kettle-drums, and all kinds of Janissary music, in the wide and almost naked plain to the east of Gos-Rajeb. The guns that had been in front did not retain that position, but were passed over to the right side of the here shallow Atbara, where, at the feet of the two rocks of Herrerem, our camp was formed, in a stony, almost treeless plain. Gos- Rajeb (Hill Rajeb) is some 400 paces distant from the river bank, consists of 150 or 200 tokul and loam houses, the former of these being unusually large, and displaying on their pointed tops ostrich eggs as ornaments. The inhabitants of this trading city are of various tribes: Bischari, Haddenda, &c. The few of them we saw were rather red in colour than black or brown; but most of its inmates had fled at our approach. Gos-Rajeb lies in a desert, or nearly so; the goods come from India to Sauakim on the Red Sea, and are brought thence on camels. On a dromedary the journey can be made in seven or eight days. Caravans take ten or eleven; though the Sheik of Gos-Rajeb said seventeen days were required to Sauakim, but only five or six to Kataref. According to him, the inhabitants of Gos-Rajeb are a race of themselves, who have been located there since time immemorial; though he allowed that another race, not of the same descent as them, had settled down there in later times. The Pascha has instructed the Sheik to give me all and every information as to country and people, and to accompany me to all most worthy of being seen, and all remarkable points.

_30th March._—Our expectations had been highly raised as regarded the ruins we hoped to find in this city of the rocks, for we, as well as the honoured Burckhardt before us, had heard much of Kenisse betal kuf’r, and of memorials of a Christian race. So in the morning we climbed up both hills, and found a grotesque formation of granite rocks, worn by the action of weather and other causes into the most fantastic shapes, and here and there towered up on one another as if some giant’s hand had piled them. The grey whitish granite also shows in its refts round holes smoothed out by rain, and, in some places, crusts of red granite as at Assuan; but ruins there were none to explore. We saw much dried grass, and some small green trees like wild pear-trees, called Sammer: this shows the rain here must be abundant. A crowd of flints and pebbles of all colours were scattered round above, but almost all were broken in pieces, like those placed on graves here to prevent the wild beasts digging up the corpses. It is possible, however, these stones had been broken up to discover the precious stones supposed to be hid in the coarser casket.

The view over the plains covered with small trees and stretching out farther than eye can reach, is monotonous; and here the Atbara is very small, and resembles a brook with naked banks. To the N.W. is Gos-Rajeb with its tokuls and decaying roofs; to the N.N.E. a day and a half’s journey off, is the Hill of Job. N.N.E. and by N. one day’s journey off, is the Hill of Ofrek; the smaller hills of Derra, Tokul, and Aried, the centre one of which has three pointed tops, lie from W. by N. to W.N.W. The Hill of Sabath, W.S.W. is about half a day’s journey from Gos; behind the Hill of Job to the N.N.W. is a yet higher mountain, with a smaller neighbour, and a chain of hillocks. The distance as the crow flies to the hills of Kassela in the E. may be some thirty hours. The other rock of Herrerem lies southward of the first, and may be some 400 feet high. At the foot of it is a quantity of _débris_ rolled down from it, and large pieces of rock also lie about. On this rough ground are many graves of later time; some old bricks red outside, black inside and very hard, lie about. A quarter of an hour N.E. of this Rockery, in a spot to which the Sheik led me, I saw some broken and burnt bricks; hereabouts must once have stood a town as large as Massr (Cairo) and inhabited by Christians. The ground is now level, and neither grave-hill nor bone-house to be seen. There must indeed have been a fearful conflagration here, as the bricks at one spot are melted down into a black glassy mass. Most probably, the city was on both hills, and principally on the first, round which many isolated mounds or hillocks may be seen; but these are covered either with stones or small pieces of granite, and seem to have been used as sepulchres; they have a round or oval form, and some are large and of good height. Often are six or eight such hillocks connected with each other, and on these we found some red bricks. The present inhabitants know not whether they are graves or what they are, and this alone testified to their belonging to older times. On the second hill lie blocks of rocks having much resemblance to colossal sarcophagi; and why these masses were so placed on it cannot be accounted for, unless to serve as memorials. The first hill runs up into two blunt points, on the foremost of which starts up a high rock like a monument, which, perhaps, may have misled Burckhardt. Above this, in the rivers here, mussels and small shells are to be found, similar to those in the Nile, and much petrified wood.

This morning has come in the son of Mohammed Din, the great Sheik of the Haddenda; but the Pascha has again dismissed him, with the necessary orders to his father. Almost all the inhabitants of Gos-Rajeb have fled from it, carrying off their herds, flocks, &c., so that nothing is to be got there, not even milk. In the rainy season there is much life and bustle on both sides of the river, as most of the Arabs from the lower and overflowed lands then gather up here, especially those of Sauachinn (Sauakim) and Kataref, when on both banks there are large fairs, much bartering, and considerable business is done by the greater merchants (chawagat, from chawagi) and the slave dealers (djellabi or haddaiba). Only a small stripe on the left bank is planted with cotton; all else is barren wilderness. All the birds have also retired from this neighbourhood, save cranes and vultures. The ants here cause much pain by their bites; they are black in colour, carry the hinder part of their bodies upright, and are most rapid in their movements. Ever at night a strong cold breeze gets up; and even during the day the cold winds raised a feeling of the Chamsin. Tobacco we have never seen on all our journey, and this accounts for the everlasting begging of the natives for it. Much thieving goes on in the open camp, and the soldiers sell many things under the rose to the inhabitants, especially durra, of which 2000 ardips out of the magazine have been issued to the army. To- morrow is to be a grand review, to dazzle and impose on the Sheiks present.

_1st April._—At two o’clock P.M., we were marched off in an easterly direction, and kept at it till three hours after sunset, without coming on the promised water. All level, good soil, little or no wood. Mimosas almost vanished; but, on the other hand, much Arrac or Tundo with its bright green, its small red flowers and branches, very similar to our roses, only with longer thorns and thicker more shrub-like stems, growing more closely together, and of greater circumference, but not a leaf; many Sammer trees also, the leaves of which contain no sap. On the dried grass covered plain, gazelles, antelopes, and hares abound. From the distance, the two hills of Herrerem with their grotesque blocks of rocks still looked after us. At dawn we were again on foot, and marched for two hours, till we struck the Atbara. Over the ground in all directions stretched long runs made by the heavy rains. Nowhere was man or beast to be seen; all seemed to have hidden themselves; the very flocks of birds visible on our arrival we instantly frightened away. Towards midday, many of the Sheiks who accompanied the camp assembled in our tent, but being Faki they did not smoke; they could not comprehend that our magnet-needle pointed ever to the north. The Hill of Kassela, now to the east of us, was some two hours distant: this was the end of our journey, at least for a time, as from thence the Pascha intended to carry out his conquests, and spoke of founding a city there.

About noon, when the heat was greatest, off went the great gun, the signal for marching. A mere quarter of an hour’s halt, as a rest towards evening, and then on for four hours longer. All were tired out, and not so much by the heat, which was bad enough, but by the hot wind, that threatened, on these immense level lands, to dry us up into mummies; and here the water-resembling Devil’s lakes (Bacher el Scheitan—the mirage) were constantly deceiving us. In these the trees were reflected as in clear water, although the soil is good, and not mere sand and stones, as in the Desert. The frontiers of Taka are very ill defined, but it was said that our camping-place was in that land, which seems to be remarkable for its thick grass overgrown pasturage.

_3rd April._—Two hours before sunrise the army was under arms, and in battle order pursued an eastward march, in which direction the hill of Kassela and the blue mountains of Abyssinia were plainly visible; but, as road there was none, the column of march soon fell into confusion. The soil was of a dark colour, and looked as if it had been rained on but yesterday, and this morning’s sun had called up on its surface a coating of slime of an inch thick. The durra fields still threw out fresh shoots from their ten feet high stems. To the left extended an impenetrable forest of uschar (Asklepias procera), which, with its fresh narcotic green, its verdant hues, and white violet-tinged flowers, was a most pleasing and refreshing sight. After a ride of some three hours, we arrived at a settlement of a Kabyle of Soggilabs, under the Sheik Haddab, some thirty mat huts, enclosed in a seriba (thorn-hedge); a little distance to the east many tents and some Tokuls showed over the green stalks. The larger village is called Soggilab, from the race of that name. A crowd of men, each with the lance or sword, dressed and frizzed out like the other Arabs, were assembled to gaze at us and receive the Pascha, but still no cattle were to be seen; it was plain enough they were all driven away. As far as eye could reach, all the ground was covered with a species of arborescent lucerne (loid) some five or six feet high, on which the camels feasted with delight. The richness of the soil is most evident, from the great luxuriance of all its herbage and shrubs; running water there is none, but the twenty or twenty-five feet deep wells give good drinking water in copious supply. Of such wells I counted forty-eight, which denotes a considerable population. There were many birds, especially pigeons; but, as usual, very shy. Both to-day and yesterday I had shot some hares, smaller and brighter in colour than ours, and with much larger ears. Many lions were said to be about, and we were warned to refrain from hunting. A great part of the bushes were fired and burnt down, to give open space round the camp, as the inhabitants of Soggilab were not to be trusted; and this conflagration made all so clear, that we did not require to kindle any lights at night.

_4th April._—To-day is a day of rest. Some horsemen from the village of Soggilab arrived to salute us; their horses, mostly stallions, were small, but of great speed, seemingly a cross of the Arab breed. The saddles small, and of wood; stirrups as ours, some having shoes fixed on them for the lance, as with our lancers. Our poor soldiers are without tents, having nothing to eat but belila, _i.e._ durra boiled in water, without salt or grease; even with us salt is scarce. Up to this date flesh has been served out but once. The Schaigies are ever the first, form the advance guard, and is any thing to be got, or any booty made, it falls of course to their share, as they are first in the field. Often at night thirty or forty of them in all secrecy quit the camp, surprising any village they can hit on, lay hands on all they can, and ere morning are again returned to the neighbourhood of the camp, and assume the demeanour of men bringing in their horses from pasturing.

_5th April._—Contrary to all hope, the signal gun awoke us to-day at dawn, calling on us to march, though we had fully trusted that this day would also be a halt. Ere long we joined the Pascha’s motley train, and found ourselves, along with other Europeans, mixed up among former kings, little and great Sheiks, and their armour-bearers, officers, scribes, and body-guards; and equally singular must we have appeared to the others as they to us. We wore over our Turkish dresses, loose wide blouses, with doubly padded hoods as a protection from the sun’s rays. Right and left surrounded us the wild crowd of Schaigies, on horseback; and little peace or concord was there among their horses and the timid camels and dromedaries; so that at length the Pascha ordered all riding the latter to move on in advance. We did so, and at once found ourselves in a thickly overgrown underwood, where the thorny mimosas ere long again raised their heads, putting our tarbooshes in much danger. Besides these, we observed tombu-bushes (hombuck), with rose-red round fruit, with a gelatinous sweet inside, about the size of a common gooseberry; high heaths, and _sammer_ of brightest green, as also a profusion of uschars overloaded with flowers, and great green seed pods.