Ten o’clock. Fadl told me, from the mast, that firm land was approaching the shore from both sides. It was not long before we perceived, whilst making three miles’ course, some tokuls also on the left shore, part of them appearing to be of peculiar size. We see also, in the middle of the reeds, on small eminences, two such huts, said to serve fishermen for temporary abodes. Four men and a woman make signs, or greet us, by raising up their arms high in the air; but even with the best will, we are not able to force our way to them, although they may have something we could pillage. Nevertheless, the right shore retreats again, and we distinguish only the palms of the last-mentioned village.
We continue S.S.E., and as the right shore goes back towards S.E., the left shore approaches nearer with S.W. by S. The stream is now more than 400 paces broad; its water is still very dark, and the broad reeds, with the other aquatic plants, present such a verdant appearance, that it is quite refreshing; and they shoot forth with such vigour, that we imagine we see them growing. It is eleven o’clock. The N.E. wind has again slackened. Our direction is S.E. The water is stagnant in the reeds, not only shut out by them from the current, but also kept back from the stream, which, notwithstanding the narrowness of its bed, has only one mile in rapidity. An influx of this stagnant water into the narrow river-bed can only, therefore, take place according to the proportion in which the stream gradually runs off, and is absorbed into this, its bed.
The Frenchmen pretend, when they return from the mast, to adjust the genuine river-bed, but they will not believe that the water has fallen so that one cannot see over the reeds and the marsh-trees. The company was to have dined with us, but Feïzulla Capitan, who had undertaken to invite the others, had gone first with the sandal to Suliman Kashef, and had there caroused to such excess that he even forgot to invite Suliman himself. Yet, this morning, he thought that he had not only invited him, but also Selim Capitan and the Frenchmen. We made, therefore, the necessary provision for this repast, and waited for the vessels preceding us to bring up; until I heard at last from Selim Capitan as he passed us, that Feïzulla had not been to him.
The latitude yesterday was 8° 36′ 30″, and to-day, 8° 36′. We remained generally, with small declinations, in the south-easterly direction. The hygrometer indicated at three o’clock 40′, and after five o’clock 50′, of atmospheric moisture, whilst in the night it had 70′ to 80′. The dew constantly shews itself first towards morning, and the carpet lying upon the deck is as wet as if it had been dipped in water. The cheerful verdure is explained from this cause, yet it will be extremely monotonous if the same vegetation continues for any distance. We supped together in our vessel, and the Russian renegade, Captain Selim Aga, shewed his usual good scent, and likewise appeared. We were merry, and had two Abu Hashis to contend in witticisms; during which they wished each other to be troubled with all the gnats, and kept up a continual scoffing.
CHAPTER VII.
QUESTION OF THE NAVIGATION OF THE NILE. — KING OF THE SNAKES. — OFFERINGS TO HIM BY THE ARABS. — KURDISTAN. — MÀRIAN’S AUTHORITY OVER THE NEGROES. — THE TAILOR CAPTAIN AGAIN. — DHELLÈB-PALMS. — WANTON DESTRUCTION BY THE CREW. — ELEPHANTS: WHITE BIRDS ON THEIR BACKS. — POISON-TREES. — THE NATION OF THE KÈKS: CUSTOMS AND DESCRIPTION OF THEM. — FLESH OF CAMELS AND GIRAFFES. — MERISSA PREPARED FROM ABRÈ. — THIBAUT DISCOVERED TO BE AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE. — RECOLLECTIONS OF GREECE. — WILD CUCUMBERS. — FEIZULLA CAPITAN’S DRINKING PROPENSITIES.
17th December.—Immediately after sunrise we sailed S.S.E.; at eight o’clock, S.S.W., and at nine o’clock, S.W. by S. The stream we navigate is tolerably broad, and appears, so far as we can see over the reedy-sea, to be the only one. On the right shore we have still the dhellèb-palms of yesterday in sight; the land retreats towards S.E., whilst the left shore comes nearer, and lets us see individual tokuls and villages. Some blacks stand on the shore, which approaches us at nine o’clock within gun-shot. They greet us and make signs, but we cannot go to them on account of the reeds, willingly as we would make their acquaintance, in order to provide ourselves again with meat. Ten o’clock. The left shore appears to go S.W. with the river, calculating from some trees and dhellèb-palms. The east wind is tolerably strong; we make three miles. A large pelican was shot, and there were found in the pouch under its bill twenty-four fresh fish, the size of moderate herrings. This burden had impeded its flight from our vessels, and prevented it from swallowing its prey, on the death-shot, as is usual with these birds.
If we consider this enigmatical stream territory, we ask ourselves whether the white river, of and by itself, with such a weight of water, can maintain these lagoons under an African sun? Were the Nile one stream, it must flow off faster; for the rains have already ceased here, and previously, indeed, under the Equator itself. How could the Nile, which still shews its peculiar disposable mass of water, in its main-stream, supply, quite alone, that enormous mass of water, and even to the present time maintain under water these immense reedy lakes, unless other tributary streams, the mouths of which stagnate, owing to the level nature of the ground, and the counter-pressure of the main-stream, supplied a nourishment great beyond belief, to this, with which it equally rises and falls? For the whole mass of water in complexu must suffer an incredible diminution during such a long tract in its slow ebbing, under a burning sun, or this Bahr-el-Abiad must have real giant-springs in its source.
A steam-boat here might surmount many difficulties, and give us the necessary corrections for a map, which cannot be effected by sailing with a constant wind, owing to the often diametrically opposite windings, and the endless difficult calculations. In order to bring such a steam-vessel safe over the upper cataracts of Wadi Halfa, or even of Es-Suan, it must be constructed in such a manner that the paddle-wheels could be entirely taken out, so that it might be towed over by ropes, or it must be built in Khartùm, which, indeed, might be difficult from want of good timber, as the sunt-tree, though very strong, affords but brittle wood. The greatest difficulty would be the establishment and protection of coal-magazines; and with regard to applying charcoal to this purpose, although the White Stream in its lower course has forests enough, yet not so on its middle and upper part: and even if the requisite wood should be found, much time must be lost in felling and preparing it for charcoal. A considerable number of men also would be always necessary for the protection of these establishments, and their consumption of victuals would be so great, that their provisions would leave no room for the charcoal, as the vessels could not be heavier laden. There is another very great consideration,—these labyrinths go through the marshy regions. If only a few men, therefore, should be embarked, and other vessels employed to take up coals, their crews must consist entirely of men selected for the purpose, and known to one another, in order that they might communicate with the inhabitants of the shore, and be able to aim at something more than simply ascertaining the course of the river. Europeans only are fit for this, as they have ideas of humanity, and subjection to the will of One.