A Narrative of the Expedition to Dongola and Sennaar | Page 3

for by the Pasha, with whom I remained in
private audience for an hour.
On the 21st of the moon Zilhadge was attacked by that distressing
malady the ophthalmia. In two days the progress of the disorder was
such that my eyes were closed up and incapable of supporting the light,
and occasioned me such acute anguish that I could get no sleep but by
the effect of laudanum. This misfortune at this crisis was peculiarly
vexatious and mortifying for me, as it put it out of my power to
accompany the Pasha, who departed with the army for Dongola on the
26th, taking his route on the west bank of the river, and leaving the
Divan Effendi and a small party of soldiers to expedite the loading and
forwarding the boats that had not as yet got ready to proceed up the
Cataract.
On the 3d of Mofiarram, A. H. 1236, I embarked on board the boat of
the Frank surgeons attached to the army, and left the lower or north end
of the Second Cataract as it is commonly styled in the maps, in
company with fifteen boats to follow and rejoin the army.
I would here observe that what is called the Second Cataract is properly
a succession of partial falls and swift rapids for more than a hundred
miles before we arrived at Succoot. I counted nine; some of them,

particularly the second,[6] fifth,[7] seventh,[8] and ninth,[9] very
dangerous to pass, though at this time the Nile had fallen but a few feet.
Before we arrived at the fifth, two boats were wrecked against the rocks
which crowd the rapids, and one filled and sunk; and before we had
passed the ninth several similar accidents had taken place. To pass the
fifth and ninth rapids, it was necessary to employ about a hundred men
to drag the boats one after another against the current. At the fifth pass,
several of the boats were damaged, and two soldiers and two boatmen
drowned. At this pass, the river is interrupted by a ledge of rocks
reaching nearly across, and over which the Nile falls. Between this
ledge of rocks and the western shore of the river is a practicable
passage, wide enough to admit a boat to be hauled up the current,
which here runs furiously. Overlooking this passage are two hills, one
on the east and one on the west side of the river: on these hills are the
ruins of ancient fortifications. They are also surmounted by two small
temples in the Egyptian style: that on the west side is almost perfect. It
is sculptured exteriorly and interiorly with figures and hieroglyphics,
and the ceiling is painted azure.[10]
The appearance of the country on each side of the falls is similar to that
of the country south of Assuan--a sandy desert studded with rocky hills
and mountains, The only appearance of vegetation observable was in
some of the islands and on the immediate banks of the river, where we
met at every mile or two with small spots of fertile ground, some of
them cultivated and inhabited. The rocky hills consist frequently of
beautiful black granite, of the color and brilliancy of the best sea-coal.
Here and there, at different points on the Cataract, I observed some
forts built by the natives of the country. They are constructed of
unhewn stones cemented with mud, and flanked by towers and angular
projections something resembling bastions, and are pierced with
loopholes for musquetry. Their interior presents the following
appearance:--against the interior side of the walls all round are built
low chambers, communicating by small doors with the area and
frequently with each other. I could observe nothing in these chambers
except the bottom part of the small handmills used by the Orientals to
grind meal, which could not be hastily removed as they were fixed in
the ground; every thing else the inhabitants had carried off on the

approach of the army. The great area in the centre of these forts
appeared to have been occupied by the camels and flocks of the
inhabitants; some of these forts are to be seen surmounting the high
rocky islands with which the Second Cataract abounds, and make a
picturesque appearance.
On the 2d of the moon Safa, we passed what our Rais erroneously told
us was the last rapid between us and Succoot. We have been thirty days
in getting thus far,[11] the causes of our having been so long in getting
up the Falls were several. The crews of the boats which had passed
unhurt a dangerous passage were frequently detained to unload and
repair those which had been wrecked or damaged.--We have been
detained at the entrances of these rapids frequently for several days, for
want of a sufficient wind,