CHAPTER IV.

KING LÀKONO’S PRIDE. — BEER KNOWN TO THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS. — BAR OF ROCKS. — WAR-DANCE OF THE NATIVES. — DETERMINATION OF THE TURKS TO RETURN, AND DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE AUTHOR. — COMMENCEMENT OF THE RETURN VOYAGE. — REPUBLICANS IN THE KINGDOM OF BARI. — VISIT OF THE FRENCHMEN TO MOUNT KORÈK. — REASON OF THE AUTHOR’S AVERSION TO ARNAUD. — CONDUCT OF VAISSIÈRE AND SCENE IN HIS DIVAN. — CULTIVATION OF COTTON AT BARI. — APATHY OF FEÏZULLA-CAPITAN AND THE CREW. — SUPERIORITY OF MAN TO WOMAN IN A NATIVE STATE. — WATCHHOUSES.

26th and 27th January.—King Làkono, notwithstanding his complaisance in other respects, is proud in this single instance: he will not go on board any _other_ vessel than that of Selim Capitan’s, much as Arnaud wishes it, who promises us a great _fête_ when we shall bring this to pass. Selim Capitan passes with him for a matta enjoying the same privileges as himself, because he has our treasures, glass ornaments, and clothes, in his keeping, and distributes them _ad libitum_, with the consent of Suliman Kashef.

The island of Tshanker, called also Riëm to Selim Capitan in my presence (perhaps the name of the second and smaller island), has become, since our abode here, a market for barter. A great crowd of people is always collected here, and Selim Capitan considers it advisable to give them a taste of the effect of a gun. He therefore shot a bull while running, twice in the head; unfortunately the balls did not pierce through, and therefore the beast staggered, but did not fall. Hereupon Selim held the barrel behind the animal’s ear, and the bull fell; the people, indeed, drew back astonished, but the excessive fear of fire-arms appears, since our short stay, to be at an end in the more civilised state of Bari.

I was the cause of presents being made to Làkono, for future sowing of maize, and a better kind of durra, Ommòs (Egyptian peas), and the so-called horse-beans, (called by the Arabs, Ful, and a very nourishing favourite food of theirs,) beside many other fruits. He seemed to me to be a man who would take care to sow them, for he planted even the stones of the dates which he had eaten with us. If the dates in these warmer regions should ever come up, the whole crew, without meaning it, have contributed to plant them, because they threw away the stones of the dates they ate on all the landing-places. I doubt, however, if dates will ever thrive, because the doum-palms have a very stunted appearance in the lower countries of the White Stream, and for a long time have entirely disappeared.

As the vine thrives in Sennaar, it might grow also here, and I should have gained immortal fame if I had not unfortunately forgotten, in Khartùm, the layers of vines I had determined to take with me. Merissa is also not unknown here, as the black soldiers told me, who had drank it, and found it equally good as that of Sennaar. _Beer_ was known even to the ancient Egyptians: what is now prepared in Egypt under the name of Busa, from wheat (kamm) is bad and pappy; in Nubia, Belled-Sudàn, we get it of better quality, made from durra, and called generally merissa: the same is also quite a common drink in this country. Beer appears, consequently, to be generally indigenous where agriculture takes place, and where wine has not received the preference due to it.

_28th January._—Nature has drawn here a real bar of rocks through the White Stream, which we dare not venture to surmount; for the water has fallen, for some days, as is quite evident, and the vessels could only, by taking out all their freight, pass the defile near the large rocks, which is called on this account, bab, or gate. The river-bed beginning from hence, appears to be generally of a more rocky nature, for we perceive, even from the rocks on the Island of Tshanker, breakers in the stream up the river: however, there is no doubt, that we might sail away victoriously over these obstacles at the time of the inundation, for the river here rises to about eighteen feet high. The main thing would be, then, for north winds to blow exactly at this period, strong enough to withstand the pressure of water rising in this mountain-land; for I am still of opinion that the rapidity of the current increases from hence in such a manner, that we could not advance by the rope even with the best will. We have remained here at the island three entire days, and the _ne plus ultra_ is not so much inscribed on the Pillars of Hercules in the water, as desired in the hearts of the whole expedition.

The war-dance, which the blacks performed yesterday, has contributed certainly to the final determination to return. Even I thought yesterday that I heard and saw in the fearful battle-song, a declaration of war, and a challenge to the contest. It was almost impossible to persuade oneself that it was merely a mark of honour. The natives marched up and down the island, in columns, brandishing their lances in the air, sang their war-songs with threatening countenances and dreadful gestures, then fell into still greater ecstasy, ran up and down, and roared their martial chant. Nevertheless I altered my opinion that this was done with hostile views, for the native interpreters remained quietly with us on board the vessel; and when we sent them to request that this honour might not be paid to us, they returned, though not having effected our object.

It was thought advisable that we should leave the shore, for the natives had only need spring down to be on board our vessels. There were certainly too many black people, and a warlike rapacious enthusiasm might easily, it was true, possess their minds, inflamed as they were by the military manœuvres. It was well, therefore, that a reiterated request on our side was answered, and an end put to the warlike ceremony, without our having betrayed our fear, by pushing off from the shore.

I remained this night on board Selim Capitan’s vessel, to induce him to _renew_ the examination of the rocky pass in the water, and to allow me to accompany him; but he declared to me, although he could not conceal his own nervousness, that not only the Frenchmen, but also Suliman Kashef, even if the latter told me the contrary, have determined not to proceed further. I knew therefore how to explain why Selim Capitan and Arnaud had gone alone to the rocky pass, without letting me know of their intention, although the spot to be explored, where a passage possibly might be made, was scarcely a gun-shot distance from us. I felt myself, however, too much weakened from my illness to swim to it, and to scale the rocks, for I would not ask the favour of the sandal. My servants, who wished as much as myself to proceed further, had been at the place; and Fadl, who had been previously a mariner himself, declared that we could certainly pass through, but not back again, if the water continued to fall so much as it has done now for some days.

Selim Capitan was really inclined to explore the ascent, but this continuation of the voyage was not to last longer than a day. But when he knelt this morning on his carpet, before sun-rise, directing his face to the East, for prayer, and discerned the numerous fires on the right shore, which he had not remarked during his ablutions, he looked at me so mournfully and suspiciously, that I could scarcely restrain my laughter. He concluded his prayer; and now he saw also on the island of Tshanker, near us, a number of such little straw fires, over which the naked people were warming themselves; whilst nearly every single man was stretching out his long legs over his own little fire. Then his courage sank anew, for there were still more blacks than yesterday.

These men, however, did not come empty-handed, and barter rose to a pitch of greatness and variety, such as we had not before seen—a quantity of fowls, goats, sheep, cows and calves, wood, ferruginous sand, and iron dross, tobacco, pipes, simsim, durra, weapons, all kinds of ornaments for the body—everything for beads. Nevertheless the good Ethiopians did not shew themselves to-day quite blameless, for they sold quivers full of arrows, many of which were without points. They delivered the wares while receiving the beads, or the seller ran hastily away, retaining the goods as well as the purchase-money; they cuffed and wrestled with our men, without, however, making use of their weapons. On the whole, however, the injustice was on our side; the drum therefore beat to recall the crew to the vessels.

It was the middle of the day, about two o’clock, when Selim Capitan, in order to take his leave, and to employ the dreaded people at the moment of our departure, and keep them far from us, threw ten cups of sug-sug on shore, and the cannons on all the vessels were discharged, to bid solemn farewell with twenty-one shots to the beautiful country which must contain so many more interesting materials. The forty or forty-two days lost by Arnaud’s fault, in Korusko, are again recalled to my mind. If we had arrived here twenty days previously, neither would all these rocks have been an obstacle, nor would there have been a pretext for not proceeding further; and it would have been no absolute misfortune, supposing that in our _return_ we had not been able immediately to sail over this reef of rocks.

Rain begins here, as I have already said, in two months’ time. On its setting in, the neighbouring masses of rocks discharge their water into the river-bed; the river rises after a few days, and it would not be difficult, therefore, at the expiration of that time, to pass the rocky bar. But against the proposal to wait for the rainy season, the objection, partly founded in fact, was offered, that the provisions which had been provided for ten months, would not suffice for the return voyage. Certainly the provisions had been shamefully dealt with, and there was little to be expected from the people of this country, who would be paid for every thing. It is just as clear that the natives do not cultivate agriculture beyond their immediate necessities, and therefore have stored up no magazines, as that their herds are only sufficient for their consumption, because, had it been otherwise, the Sultan, leaving aside the people, must have shewn himself more liberal. It is certain also, that with the hitherto lavish profusion of glass-beads, their value must infallibly decrease, and that therefore we shall soon be in want of this means of payment.

The principal reason, however, of my proposal not meeting with favour, appears to me to lie in this, that a sudden attack by the natives was feared, and not entirely without justice, on a longer and closer acquaintance, by which our supremacy, at all events, must suffer; because Turks wish always to remain Turks, that is, born lords of the earth. As a last resource I rely upon a third expedition, and this thought afforded me also some consolation.

The water has diminished to a remarkable degree. Close to the first island, which is next to the left shore, we ran aground, and now we have been squatting for several hours near the second island, lying at the left shore. All “lissa” and “ela” cannot bring us from the spot, although the men, who are trying to raise the vessel in the water, have rested twice from exhaustion. The negroes, indeed, approach us and laugh, but they may wish, notwithstanding, to assist us; yet it appears advisable to keep them at a distance by firing, so that they may not remark the impotency of a vessel when stranded. I here count, from the deck, eight villages on the rising ground of the left shore; on the right, lying more level with the water-line, only two. The sun sinks behind Mount Korèk, and we hope to work ourselves off this time. This may be a difficult return voyage, for we have many shallow places to pass, and the water continues to fall. We are again afloat at sunrise.

Behind the last-mentioned island we remark another little one; then we pass between two islands, for this voyage by the left shore is of a very complicated nature. We are scarcely off before the vessel immediately again sticks fast, and whirls round like a top. We proceed down the river close to the left shore, the negroes throwing stones at us; we know not whether they are in jest or in earnest. To be sure, we did not conduct ourselves in a very friendly manner, in our ascent by the _left_ shore, having killed there eleven people, and certainly wounded many more. These are the republicans, who would not recognise King Làkono; they laugh at the threats of the crew, until Feïzulla Capitan orders his pistols to be brought, so that he might intimidate them. We shoal again, work ourselves clear, but cannot reach the other vessels, where Làkono is said to be on board Selim Capitan’s. It seems that the good king will regain, by our presence, his authority, which has been considerably diminished by the withdrawal of the subsidy, or Tulba, over these people on the left shore, who are to give us, according to his promise, several cows.

I cannot yet recover; but just at this moment, when the vessel has turned to the north, in the direction of my brother, I resign myself, with pleasure, to the idea of remaining with Làkono, learning the language, and collecting the necessary information, making myself useful in extending the knowledge of economical and technical sciences, and taking part in their military expeditions, wherein I should have formed a fearful _avant garde_ with my three servants, who were of the same inclination as myself, owing merely to our fire-arms;—and thus to become of the most vital importance to the next expedition, and to be able to return with it.

Selim Capitan communicated to me, in confidence, that the French heroes want to visit Mount Korèk, here from the left shore, and that Arnaud has applied for an escort of ten soldiers. This intended excursion had been kept secret from me; either I was considered too weak, as perhaps really was the case or no German witnesses were wished to oppose, as they very certainly would have done, any future charlatanry. I had full satisfaction, however, when I recommended, in presence of Arnaud, a visit to the iron-mines of Korèk as being perfectly necessary. The crafty Selim Capitan said, that he had spoken to Suliman Kashef, and that a hundred chosen men, as an escort, were placed at disposal for this laudable visit. This offer of increased protection produced a peculiar effect in Arnaud’s countenance, and he muttered a curse between his teeth, although I declared that I could not be of the party.

What I said was meant in earnest, for I must have been carried, owing to the want of beasts of burden; and besides, I did not dare at all to expose my worthy head to the sun’s rays, because, from having remained under it, I had still the feeling as if my hair stood erect, like a conductor of caloric, by every single ray. Mount Korèk will, therefore, for the present, not be explored by me.

I must take advantage of this opportunity to mention a circumstance which may explain my not very great friendship for Arnaud, abstractedly from his general arrogance. Selim Capitan confirmed what the merchant Olivi had communicated to me in Khartùm. My fellow-travellers, in order to make themselves secure against any control, had determined, under the presidency of Vaissière, _not to mention my worthy name at all in their journals_. But the honest Vaissière had, at the same time, another plan, which was no other than to _exclude_ me from the expedition. He himself offered to provide the biscuit necessary for me and my three servants. This proposal was the more acceptable to me, because all the baking-ovens of Khartùm had been taken possession of by the Government, to provide for the crew of the expedition.

The biscuit arrived safely the day before our departure at my house, just as Doctor Count de Domine, having returned from Kordofàn, was present. Without further investigation, I took the contents and weight to be correct, but my Italian friend thought that Vaissière was a great “baron fututto,” and opened a sack, from which an excellent biscuit peeped forth smilingly. This, however, did not convince him long; I was obliged to order Fadl, who was standing by, to shake out the bag, and then a peal of laughter resounded on every side. Only the uppermost part of the sack was laid over with good biscuit, the lower part being full of spoiled and mouldy ones. The very same result followed with the other sacks.

Armed with my heavy iron stick, I immediately ran along the side of the water to the divan of Vaissière, where I found all the Frenchmen assembled. I said plainly that he wished to force me, by this rascally deception, to desist from the voyage after one or two days’ further progress. In conclusion, I called him a slave-dealer, whose cross of the legion of honour I would tear off; and when he talked of being an officer, and “honour!” I called him a cowardly rascal. None of the Europeans spoke a word in his defence; and I was able to retreat through the numerous attendants, who feared my iron club as well as the Basha; and I went to the governor, who gave orders that the needful biscuit should be provided me from the shune.

Once again, before my departure, Vaissière and I stood suddenly, man to man, on a narrow path by the Blue Nile, where, from fear, because he had not challenged me, or lest I should push him into the water, he only stammered out the words, “Wife and children!” In these countries one must either let oneself be trod under foot, and be able to turn and cringe, or must step forward, like a man in his natural state, breast to breast.

_29th January._—Before sunrise we hoist the anchor from the middle of the river, where we had halted for safety during the night, and set sail in a northern direction. Some elephant-trees, with thick foliage, and two villages, are on the left side of the shore, and a shallow long isle, like all the islands of this region. On the right Mount Pelenja, as well as an isle, which another larger one immediately follows. We see two magnificent broad-leaved acacia-trees, to which several more of these beautiful round-headed trees join on directly, and habitations right and left. The sun rises behind clouds. We row E.N.E., and then E. by N. The right shore forms a long durra-field; in its neighbourhood we get aground, and in spite of every exertion, remain fixed until half past nine o’clock. The strong north wind drives our vessel about in all directions, and the tired rowers are no match for my bold countryman. At half past ten o’clock we arrive, in an easterly direction, at the shallow island, separated from the right shore by a narrow arm of the Nile, and lying on a level with it. This island, planted with durra, is the very same one where King Làkono first visited us.

We have the other vessels ahead, waiting for us, and we come up to them at eleven o’clock, with great difficulty; for the men can display but little vigour at the rope in the water. The negroes of the right shore pursue us with several bundles of wood, to sell to us. Feïzulla Capitan is ashamed to make his report, on account of his long delay, and therefore lies down to sleep. We cast anchor also in the middle of the river; for we trust the natives no longer, and fear the wrath of the great Matta.

King Làkono sits on the shore in the centre of his people, who are standing around him; his favourite wife is also standing, and only one of his brothers is sitting near him. I now hear that Làkono had asked Selim Capitan for a musket to shoot the cannibals. The latter feared that the Tubal Cain of Bari might establish a manufactory of guns, and then come as a great conqueror to Sennaar, and therefore flatly refused him. On this account his Majesty is angry, and will not come on board. I am particularly sorry that he does not take leave of us, for I had noted down several questions which I should like to ask him. A drummer close to him is beating very skilfully, from time to time, on his long wooden kettle-drum, and answers quite doughtily the roll of one of our drummers. Another is blowing a wooden trumpet, in which the mouth-piece, or the hole at the upper end, is like that of a flute. They have also a twisted antelope’s horn, from which they manage to elicit several notes.

Notwithstanding the violent north wind, we set out again at half-past one o’clock, without even thinking of a visit of reconciliation to Làkono. What can the man think of us now? We who have got so many weapons, spears, bows, and clubs, from his people, and who certainly, in his eyes, have equally as many guns, do not give him even a single musket! We row at first, but soon tiring of this work, the vessels are allowed to drift with the stream, “Allah kerim,” and be tossed by the wind wherever it may drive them. We therefore knock one against the other, run towards the shore, and go, to my extreme anger, down the river with the stern foremost instead of the bow. This does not seem to Feïzulla Capitan to be any disgrace. To the right shore a shallow island, partly cultivated, and having, at the extremity of its foot, a little village. Another, upon which are several cows, who have only to thank the strong wind that we did not carry away some of them, stretches far downwards for nearly an hour.

Here I must express my surmise that the natives cultivate cotton, although not, perhaps, in large quantities. On the island of Tshanker I had seen already cotton offered for sale, without its existence being a matter of surprise to me; for I had previously met with it in the forests on the White Stream, growing wild. I am in possession even of a specimen of the cotton of this country, and know now how to explain from what the rahàt is made, which I got on that island. I was sitting once on the island of Tshanker, and sketching, when a young woman stationed herself at some distance, and pointed to her neck, which she wished to adorn with beads. I presented her with some to look at, and gave her to understand by dumb-show, that I wanted to have her thread apron for them. When I stepped nearer, however, to make the thing more intelligible to the woman, she drew back timidly. I therefore beckoned to Fadl, because he has more patience, and a darker colour, which must inspire greater confidence. She was no longer afraid when he came, but stopped and gave her consent to the sale by signs, although the men standing in the neighbourhood threatened her by elevating their spears. She motioned to Fadl to remain where he was, ran away, and soon returned with a leathern apron, which she had fetched from behind a rock, whereon men were standing.

Without troubling herself further about their threatening attitudes and words, she waded, with a true contempt of death, up to her breast in the water, and came out again with the rahàt in her hand, and the leathern apron round her loins. She still paid no regard to the continued threatening motions of the men, but gave the rahàt over to Fadl, took the few beads, and ran away in the greatest joy. This rahàt was twisted together very artistically of cotton threads, shaped, as I have already related, and coloured red with ochre.

Four o’clock. Our course which, judging from the situation of the mountains, had been north-westerly since half-past one o’clock, now changes,—without, however, our being able to define it distinctly. Half-past five o’clock. This is the first moment that we can say we are going N. by E. These things must be experienced: to be ill with Turks—to make campaigns and journeys with Turks—and to undertake a voyage of discovery on the White Stream with such a fleet!

The vessels, according to their different sizes, ran on the sand-bank; first forwards, then backwards,—now right, now left. To navigate with the stern foremost is the favourite custom; the sparks of the fire fall through the open hatchway, before the half-broken door of the powder-room, and whizz in the water of the lower hold! At last, by energetic threats, I wake Feïzulla Capitan from his dreadful apathy. The fire is extinguished, and the stern of the vessel, after a great deal of talking about the disgrace to a naval officer educated in England, turned to the proper direction, with the assistance of the oars.

I saw five large and small islands, but whether they lie nearest to the right or to the left shore, I know as little as upon what shore the isolated villages and tokuls stand. It was really enough to drive one mad to see the sailors so often apply themselves to the oars when the wind had turned the vessel, which they regard as a piece of floating wood, towards the mountains. I shall, at last, be confused myself in such a disgusting hurly-burly. Six o’clock. On the left, a little island; soon afterwards, on the right, a larger one, separated from the right shore by a narrow arm. Then a village, close upon the same shore, pleasingly enlivened by men and cows, immediately appears. Single trees extend behind it, and give a picturesque effect to the whole. On the left, our old acquaintance, Mount Nerkanjin, steps forward again, and surpasses, at least, considerably in height, the mountains lying nearer. At half-past six o’clock we go to the N., with small deviations to one side or the other, and come to three islands, following close behind one another, along the right shore, and anchor, when it becomes dark, before seven o’clock, below the last one.

_30th January._—A very strong wind all night; the vessels lying awkwardly near each other, beat their heads and knock their ribs together, so that it was quite pleasant to behold it. Every one slept and snored around me, and I also would not allow myself to be disturbed any more, and did not wake the capitan; but looked, however, twice through the open hatchway into the hold, to see if the water were increasing. This morning there was only one vessel at the anchorage; all the others were scattered far and wide down the river. Immediately after sunrise we set out towards N. On the right a wood extends; on the left, solitary beautiful trees rise; but few people are to be seen.

Two little islands are at the right shore; the one lying deeper rises from the water like an elevated green shield. The beautiful forest of the right side condensates and strengthens; on the left, also, the trees approach closer together. The country rises here, and we look far over the left shore into the land, as into an orchard, with villages. We halt at the shield-island, on the sand, and look around us for another water-track. With much difficulty we work through between the green reed island and another one, and land at our old little isle, where we made the acquaintance of the chief Nalewadtshòhn on the 22nd January. We had half an hour’s barter; then we push off, and navigate with the bow of our vessel directed towards the first of the two islands lying one behind the other, at the left shore, as if we would have caused there an earthquake. The vessel turns, and we go now again with the stern forward, as generally happens upon the Nile, in order to let the vessels drift free from danger, for the helm then becomes the scenting-nose of the shallows, and stops also, in fact, on them.

About eight o’clock we halt at the left shore. I get here a harpoon among other curiosities of the country. Unfortunately, we now hurry through this beautiful region without taking any further notice of the land or the people; for the want of sufficient water-course, and the ignorance of it, drives us to make as much haste as possible to the friendly Elliàbs, where we intend to stop and caulk the vessels. I have never remarked persons lying ill, and diseases may be generally rare among these people of nature; when they do come on, perhaps they are mostly fatal. At nine o’clock we are off again, and have, immediately on our right, two little green islands, and a village on the shore. Another entanglement of vessels, so that it is a complete disgrace!

The water, pouring out vigorously from a gohr of the right shore, is muddy, and appears to come from a lake, the water of which is let off for the sake of catching fish. On the left a green island, with high reeds; on the right a wood, wherein there are several bare and withered trees. The land appears here to be quite uncultivated. Our vessel at last goes again properly, for Selim Capitan, whom the other vessels are trying to keep in sight, outstrips us by the stroke of the oars. The reed-island is followed by another one after some paces. The shores are arid on both sides; we cannot look over them at the scenery beyond, because the water is considerably lower than when we ascended. In the middle of the river a narrow island, green with reeds, behind which, on the right shore, a large village is remarked, with broad tokuls, as well as herds of cows at the water. These tokuls are open behind, and the young cattle appear to be penned in them. Down at the village another island lies, of about a quarter of an hour in length. On the right and left, scanty wood is developing itself thickly behind the shores. An islet, of three to four paces broad, and twelve to fifteen long, has planted itself here boldly in the river. Either this island is quite new, and will increase in time, or it is the remains of an old one. Immediately behind, an elevated green shield floats again towards us. We navigate at the right shore to N.E., and shall go again soon to N.

The beauty of the country has unfortunately again descended to the old uniformity, with the horizontal position of the flat country; before us lies an island like a Delta; it is already partly dry, and we pass by its left side. But stop! Every one fetches up, and we shall be obliged perhaps to work over to the right side. Ten o’clock, N. by E.; we row bravely against the N.E. wind. The shores of the stream are flat and low; by the sand lying thereon, we see that the river at its side flows over them. An arid island at the left shore is divided by a dry gohr. On the right, a village is suddenly disclosed, with broad tokuls, and negroes expecting treasures. Upon the island, also, they stride stoutly in close to the ships, but no beads are handed to them. The men of the oxen-village point to their herds, but their benevolent offer is in vain.

We remark, as usual, among the light-coloured cows, many quite white, and few black or dapple. The bulls have the customary high and thick hump; the cows, on the contrary, have exactly the appearance of those at Emmerich on the Rhine; their horns are twisted in a surprisingly handsome form, and set off with flaky hair, as well as the ears. They carry the latter erect, by which means the head, and the lively eye, acquire a brisk and intelligent expression. We have an island of about a quarter of an hour in length at our right; the oars rest in consequence of a stronger current, and we go N.E. Half past eleven o’clock. On the left a green island, of the length of half an hour, before which we again get aground, without our intellectual commanders being disturbed by it. We stop at the right shore, to make our midday halt, but Suliman Kashef pushes off again, although he is the man who takes most care about the distribution of the meat, and we others follow amidst the murmurs of the crew.

After we had left on our right two islands, we halt at the foot of the second one, at about three o’clock, with the same intention. The shallow island is only elevated a little above the level of the water, of a sandy nature, but full of a species of large and small grass, conclusive of the splendid pastures of the surrounding country, of which the herds afford the best proof. We navigate further, and have immediately a small island on our right. For amusement we go awhile upon the sand, soon get off again, and have on the left another island with shallow sand-heads at the side. The whole left shore lies flat, and makes its appearance beautifully wooded; over it Mount Nerkanjin, concealed in mist and by the distance, rises to the west. I take leave of it and of all the mountains, which are so delightful to my heart, and have contributed so much to my convalescence by their fresh air, and by bringing before me pictures of home. We go to the north. A poor little hamlet, surrounded and shaded by trees, on the left shore. Right and left the vessels squat, and accident alone makes us take the middle road. At the right, two small islands, distinguished, as usual here, by nothing except their succulent grass or reeds. Yet our vessel, proud at the start already gained, goes smack on the flat left shore, as if Nature did not shew shallows there to the most inexperienced mariner. One shock, and—we stick fast. Once more tokuls peep through the trees of the left shore at some distance; negroes are collecting on the shore.

We are navigating through a tract of countries, touching whose original formation and populations we exhaust ourselves in fruitless conjectures. Monuments do not tell us, history is silent, and the annals of the people live only in meagre traditions, which may possibly extend to two or three generations. We could not learn any thing even of these, and the past is repeated in a perpetual present. We throw a sorrowful glance at the youth of these nations, and do not understand how it happens that a people could always remain _young_.

The other vessels pass us, whilst we are calling, “Eh lissa!” Most of the men are only seemingly exerting themselves in the water, to hoist the vessel, without answering the Abu Hashis passing by and mocking at us. The natives must love the shade, for they remain with their wives under the trees. The shaven heads, and mostly turned in noses of the latter seem to do homage to the principle of beauty being in man. If this decided type of the feminine formation of countenance afford the plastic proof of the primitive natural distinction of the sexes, then not woman, but man, stands here as the master-piece of Nature, similar to what is generally the case in the animal creation. Woman is the weaker being in such a state of nature as this,—the beast of burden, in whom the germ for the improvement of the character is suppressed, though it must be considered as her inalienable birthright.

After a quarter of an hour, we work ourselves off, and row, as fast as our bodies, dripping with perspiration, will allow us, in order to gain a deeper water-course. On the left we notice a forest-hamlet, and on the right an island, which is a quarter of an hour in length. Another island ends, the upper part of which I had not remarked. A long bright water-basin, from the back ground of which two little islands, like green hills, cheerfully look up, stretches before us in N.N.E. The negroes dance and jump no more; they stand melancholy on the shore, because they lose their glass-bead men.

Half-past three o’clock. After the lapse of some minutes we navigate through a narrow canal, and leave the broad water on our right behind the island close to us. At the end of this island we first drive furiously against the shore, and then against another vessel, so that there is cracking and breaking aloft, and a flood of curses discharged. The men jump into the water, bawl, and make a row on all sides, to push the vessels off the sand. We get loose, have an island immediately before us, and try to go into the narrow arm, which separates it from the right shore. The island is covered over and over with luxuriant creeping beans, and is half an hour long. Some of the vessels try their luck on the other side of the island. A number of goats and sheep are pasturing there, and among the latter, rams with horns twisted back, and manes. We keep the main direction of the river, N.N.E., but there is neither direction nor order among the vessels, “Allah kerim!”

A beautiful verdant island below seems to wish to block up our road. Suddenly a second island appears at our side, separated from the former one by only fifty paces of water. We stop at it, because most of the vessels have taken the deceptive broad path, and got upon the sand. The current is strong here, and amounts to two miles. Although our men are at home on the Nile, yet they have no idea at all that where there are precipitous broken shores, and where the shoot of the water falls, there, on the average, the greater depth is to be found.

Suliman Kashef’s beautiful slave has hitherto not yet come out of her narrow back cabin, often as I have begged him to let her. O thou land of the East and jealousy! An unexpected emancipation of the eastern wives and maidens would give an extremely surprising result, judging from analogy with all the circumstances occurring in the hárims, notwithstanding the trifling grade of cultivation, in which these beautiful domestic animals stand, and their quaint notions of the _honestum atque decorum_.

Four o’clock.—The last island, where we stopped only a short time, and repaired in some measure our broken helm, is immediately followed by two islands, lying close to one another, the nearest of which extends a long way. It is covered with much larger tobacco plantations than we have been accustomed hitherto to see. A hedge defends it against the beasts of the water, and over the young plants reed-roofs have been placed to protect them against the heat of the sun. But what we had not hitherto seen, is a little watchhouse raised on stakes, from which the field-guard peeps out;—a police establishment, which might be placed here more on account of human beings than of beasts.

We leave those islands, as well as the two small reed-islands previously named, together with the broad water at the left, for another island of an hour in length joins on to the latter one, and promises a deeper water-course. The steeply broken shores of these islands, like those of the right side of the river, are stratified in horizontal layers, which consist of mould, sand, and a reddish-coloured substratum of iron-ochre. We go here with the right shore to E. A broad gohr comes into the river from the right side: therefore, what I just now called a right shore, is taken for a large island, the head of which, however, no one pretends to have seen. At last, we again advance, although not for any length of time, in a bed of the stream destitute of islands, and from pure magnanimity we order the oars to rest, so as not to stave in the ribs of another vessel. On the right, a village and some scattered tokuls under the trees. We make a bend to N.N.E. The right shore is thickly covered with trees, but there appears to be little shade there except under the solitary trees having broad boughs. On the left shore are seen, on the contrary, few trees, and the real forest may be further up the country.

Six villages are observed from the deck on the right, and three villages on the left shore. Before us, to N.E., rises a small mountain, to which we perhaps shall approach still closer, for it was not remarked previously in our ascent. On the shore, we have right and left a village; at the left side two more villages immediately follow. From the deck we see here seven other villages; to the right, in the forest, a large village, and closer to us a small one on the shore, whilst on the left again, other tokul-tops peep forth beyond the shore. Solitary huts are scattered on all sides, and the country seems to be extraordinarily populous. Nevertheless, we remark very few people; the others may be employed somewhere in the interior harvesting, catching fish, or elephant-hunting; or state affairs, perhaps, keep them back.

Five o’clock.—To N. On the left a little hamlet, with tokul-roofs, which stand on short stakes, and may be used perhaps only for the cattle during the rainy season. The small tokuls raised on stakes serve partly as sleeping-places, partly as store-houses; these are seen in every village on the White River. Half-past five o’clock. At the left we see the end of an island, which must be very large, for it goes up, at least, to the last-named island, and may run behind it to the left shore. On the left there are three villages, but the trees have entirely disappeared. On the right five villages, and then a large and small island; behind them a sixth village. The river makes a beautiful bend at this place from N.N.E. to N. Splendid large shady trees stand out like giants over the other part of the forest, and from deck we perceive a hamlet under them, and also two villages at some distance from the left shore. The Haba, properly speaking, displays itself here of a blue colour in the distance, extending from W. to N., whither we let ourselves be drifted also by the tranquil river.

A large herd of cows comes down to drink at the stream, but we pass proudly by, and the Arabian children do not murmur because they are going to their dear home.

The report that the nations below had blocked up the river to cut off our retreat, having turned out unfounded, may likewise have contributed to this unusual contentment. I remarked evidently how glad they were that no crowds of natives were collected at the numerous villages, near which we were so often beneaped. On the right, the end of an island displays itself; this, at all events, therefore extends behind the upper island of the right shore. Over two little islands we see, on the right side, the tops of several tokuls. At sunset we go from N.N.W., in another bend to E. A long water-line spreads before us, whilst the river bends to right and left; we accommodate ourselves again slowly to rowing.

Half-past six o’clock. At both sides two long islands end, their commencement having been concealed from us by others. Near the pastoral village, on the left side, we hear the cattle and sheep returning home, and see the smoke widely extended, as a protection against the gnats, for their nightly rest. That is much too inviting! Near a small green island, in the centre of the stream, which spreads here majestically like a lake, we cast anchor, and the vessel turns its bow towards the west, to Mount Nerkanjin, the outlines of which stand out only faintly from the darkening sky. It is a lovely evening.