A Narrative of the Expedition to Dongola and Sennaar | Page 7

form of the hips. They are also larger than the
cows of Egypt.
14th of Safa. The wind did not spring up this morning till a late hour,
and after continuing for about an hour and a half, fell calm. We put to
shore on the western bank of the river, where we passed the remainder
of the day and the night. The country continued fine and crowded with
villages. At this place, some of the boat's company attempted to shoot a
hippopotamus, who had shown himself several times during the day.
They succeeded only in slightly wounding him, after which he
disappeared. The people of the country say that there are twelve that
frequent this place in the river, which contains here some low islands,
well adapted to afford them food and concealment.
16th of Safa. Parted from the land about two hours after sunrise, with a
strong breeze. After continuing an hour and a half the wind subsided
into a calm, which obliged us to make for the shore. We landed on a
large island resembling those already mentioned, where we passed the
remainder of the day and the night. The country we had passed
resembled that below, beautiful, and as fertile as land can be.
16th of Safa. Left the land about an hour after sunrise, and in half an
hour passed the southern boundary of the beautiful territory of Succoot,
and entered the province of Machass. The country we were now
passing is naturally fertile, but has not such a continued succession of
villages as Succoot. About three hours after sunrise came in view of the
ruins of an ancient temple on the west bank. With some difficulty
engaged the Rais to put to shore for a few minutes, to give me an
opportunity of visiting it. This temple is manifestly of Egyptian
architecture; it is about two hundred feet long from east to west; ten of
the columns only are standing; they are composed of separate blocks of
a brown stone resembling that employed in the construction of the
temples in the isle of Philoe. The walls of this temple are in ruins,
except a part of the front which is in a very dilapidated state. The front
faces the East; the pillars and the ruins of the walls are sculptured with
hieroglyphics. It stands on the west bank of the river about two miles

beyond the territory of Succoot. About an hour after leaving this place,
the wind falling, our Rais was obliged to put to shore. We soon arrived
at the western bank of the river, the Nile being in this place not a mile
broad. The remainder of the day being calm, we staid here till next
morning. Several of the Pasha's Cavalry passed along the west bank of
the river yesterday and to-day, bearing repeated orders from Dongola to
the commanders of the boats to hasten their progress.
17th of Safa. At an early hour started with a favorable wind, but in
about two hours were obliged to put to shore. The river hereabouts
makes several turns almost at right angles with each other. This
circumstance brought the wind directly ahead in one of the bends and
obliged us to remain there till next morning. The country we saw
to-day is not equal to the territory of Succoot; the date trees, the
villages, and the cultivation are not so continued; and the view from the
river is bounded at a little distance from its banks by low rocky hills.
Saw to-day a singular mode of navigating the river; a man, who
apparently was traveling down the river with his whole family, had
placed his youngest wife and her two young children on a small raft
made of bundles of corn-stalks lashed together, he himself swam by its
side to guide it, while he kept his old wife a swimming and pushing it
by the stern, and in this way they proceeded down the river.
I have seen in this country small rafts made to carry one person, which
are very well contrived. Three or four large empty gourds are fastened
firmly to a small oblong frame made out of the branches of the date tree,
the whole not weighing two pounds. A man may go safely down or
across the river on this, either by fastening it to his breast and
swimming supported by it, or by riding on it astride; and when on shore
he can carry it with ease either in his hand or on his shoulder.
18th of Safa, In the morning found that the wind had changed a little in
our favor, got under way, but after sailing for about two hours the
winding of the river again brought it ahead. Put to shore and staid there
till