We land at the right shore near the solitary stunted trunks of trees, which belong to a former forest. In the neighbourhood a large lake. A little after ten, again from thence, N. by W., N. by E. to N.E. A quarter after ten, to N., and then E. by N. Some fishermen’s tokuls to the left on the low shore: neither men nor periàguas to be seen, the former having probably fled. A quarter before eleven o’clock, from E. to N.N.W. Eleven o’clock, to N. and N.N.E. Unfortunately the wind has slightly slackened, yet we still make four miles. A quarter after eleven, E., then to N. Half-past eleven, N.W.; further W., when our sailing ends for some time, to W.S.W. A quarter before twelve, from W.S.W. to N.W., when we sail again, and N. to N.E. by E. On the left, some negroes in the reeds, who speak to us, but we do not understand them. N.N.E., and immediately N. by E., and E. by S.; on the left a miserable fishing-hamlet.
Twelve o’clock.—Round the left, in the bend, N., and further to W.N.W., where a long water-tract lies before us. Half-past twelve: N.W. from S., a broad gohr comes on the left of us, by which the river is considerably widened. To N. and N.E., then N. by E.; and a quarter before one o’clock, to the right, E.N.E., and directly to the left, in the bend, N. and N.W. Half-past one, N.N.E. to E. then N. by E. to N.W. by W. A quarter after two, N.N.W., and N. to W. by N., and again to N.N.W., and N.W. by N. Half-past two, N.N.E., and with a short turn, a quarter before three, to W., and on to W.S.W. On the left a large lake; then N.W. and N., and in the bend, to S.E. by E.; gradually again to E.N.E. Half-past three, N.N.W., where we stop at the scorched right shore. Subsequently we go to the left, where the reeds are protected a little from the wind. Wonderful to relate, I got in such a perspiration by bathing in the Nile, although at first I could not move after it, that I was obliged to fly away from the cold wind to the cabin, and even there to wrap myself up in the barakàn (Herahn) folded four times thick.
28th February.—At a quarter before eight, we navigate from N.N.W. to N. On the right, several solitary large tokuls are to be seen from the deck, and then N.N.W. Sale brought a crane of gigantic size; but he had kept our vessel waiting for him half an hour, although only this morning I had enjoined him to be attentive to the roll of the drum, and the sails. To awaken his sense of discipline, and as a warning for the negligent soldiers, I got Feïzulla Capitan to give him some stripes over the hand, sparing him by this means the disgrace of receiving this slight punishment from a subordinate officer.
Eight o’clock.—N.W. A quarter of an hour later, from N.N.W. to W.N.W. It blows a gentle south-west wind; but we are obliged still to make use of the oars. Half-past eight o’clock.—From W.N.W., to N.N.W. and E. The air is thick, like yesterday; a heavy dew falls, and neither sunrise nor sunset is perceived. A quarter after nine o’clock.—From E., round the left, to W.N.W., where a large scattered tokul-village lies on the right, and behind it a lake. The Nuèhrs dwell here, and some of them come to Selim Capitan, when he halts at the right shore, which they did not do on our ascent. We proceed in a flat arch to N.E. The wind has freshened a little, and the oars rest; we make five miles. A quarter before ten o’clock, from N.N.E. to W. Ten o’clock, with a short turn, to N.N.E. A quarter after ten, in a small bend, to W.S.W., where we are obliged, unfortunately, to furl the sails, to S. by E. A quarter before eleven.—Shortly round to S.W. and S.S.W. Eleven.—To the right; very shortly round to W.N.W., and the sails spread, to the joy of all who wish to push forward and see their friends; but directly again to the left, S.; on the right, hamlets, with men. A quarter after eleven. At the left a small lake in the river, formed by other tributaries. We go W.N.W., and land at the left shore.
CHAPTER VIII.
NUÈHRS. — ORNAMENTS. — MANNERS OF THE WOMEN. — THE MEN. — CURIOUS CUSTOM OF DRESSING THE HAIR, AND STAINING THEMSELVES. — VISIT OF A CHIEF. — SPEARS USED INSTEAD OF KNIVES. — SINGULAR WAY OF MAKING ATONEMENT, ETC. — WE HEAR ACCOUNTS OF OUR BLACK DESERTERS. — BOWS AND QUIVERS SIMILAR TO THOSE REPRESENTED IN THE HIEROGLYPHICS. — THE TURKS INDULGENT IN ONE RESPECT. — MOUNT TICKEM OR MORRE. — TRACES OF ANIMAL-WORSHIP AMONG THE NUÈHRS. — ARNAUD’S CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF A LAKE, AND GASCONADES. — ADVICE TO FUTURE TRAVELLERS ON THE WHITE NILE. — SWALLOWS. — MEANS OF DEFENCE AGAINST GNATS DISCOVERED. — THE SHILLUKS AGAIN. — QUESTION OF THE CONTINUAL ALTERATIONS IN THE APPEARANCE OF THE NILE. — GUINEA-FOWLS. — GIRAFFES. — BLACK WASPS. — TURTLE-DOVES. — OUR AUTHOR CAUGHT IN A THORN-BUSH. — FABLED LUXURIANCE OF THE PLANTS IN THE TROPICAL REGIONS. — VIEW FROM A HILL. — MANNER OF CATCHING FISH AMONG THE NATIVES. — THE SOBÀT RIVER. — THE INUNDATIONS OF THE NILE CONSIDERED.
1st March.—The Nuèhrs are afraid of us, on the whole, yet they brought us, yesterday, one of their bracelets. We shall remain here to-day till the afternoon; for, although we arrived yesterday before mid-day, yet nothing has been done by the gentlemen engineers, and every minute appears to me lost that we are on shore, for there is no village there. I made a short shooting excursion this morning with Sale, and shot two karawans. I approached the side where the little bay is formed in the river, in order to examine it closer. I arrived through burnt reeds at an ambak-thicket, and came here upon thick half-burnt reeds, whilst the ground was very swampy; and then I pursued a bird unknown to me, close to the margin of a small lake, bordered by ambaks. I ought to be thankful that I was able to find the right road with my black feet over stalks of reeds which were trodden down, and to get out at last from the dangerous path.
Nuèhrs are scattered on all sides; but the men did not venture near the vessels. The women, on the contrary, were excessively talkative. They would see the vessels, and it was with them we transacted business and bargained for durra and tobacco. They have shaven heads, and the young women, notwithstanding this disadvantage, do not appear ugly. They have a very small hole bored through the flesh, between the nose and upper lip, in which we remark a thin blade of straw, or a small stick, to prevent it closing; or they put in it a needle, ornamented with a glass bead, extending slightly beyond the end of the nose: kissing, therefore, must be very difficult, if it happen to be the custom here. The whole rim of the ear is also pierced through, and from want of glass beads or other ornament, we perceive a little piece of wood in it. There are no lines on their forehead; front and back leather aprons are slung round the hips, or simply a rahàt, made of the narrow slips of dome-palm leaves. Here and there an ivory necklace, or strips of bark are seen, and around the neck a few miserable glass beads: these are the only ornaments which the poor women possess. Although I gave them some glass beads, at their humble request, yet their modesty was so excessive, that not one of them would sell me her rahàt. They carry the small baskets, containing durra and tobacco, on their heads, with considerable dexterity, as is common on the White River. The women, in these countries, have no voice in the public assemblies, and therefore they make up for it by talking whenever they get the opportunity—a natural wish for emancipation!
The men here and there have interesting physiognomies, and which are particularly improved by the hair being worn in a natural manner: it is mostly one and a half to two spans long, but sometimes cut short. Their red colour—which is here of a fiery red—seems to be the favourite national colour. Our men thought it was natural; but I discovered, from many of these men, that they stain themselves artificially. At first, I believed that they wore a coiffure, similar to a wig; but I soon found that they had tied up the long hair behind into a thick tuft, and plastered over the whole head with a strong coating of ashes and an alloy of clay, which has the same effect as the hennah of the Turkish old women, who prefer to have red rather than grey hair. We laugh at seeing these stiff and dirty perukes, and yet our periwig-mania has only of late years been defunct; whilst, even now, the highly-civilized English still wear the full-bottomed wigs, and seem to think that a quantity of powder, long, stiff body-coats, and loose gaiters, are essential for their young servants. We perceive, upon the very projecting forehead of the Nuèhrs, six horizontal lines, more or less elevated: they wear well-worked bracelets, narrow, but thick, with a sharp edge, the best of which I bought, and amongst them a thin one, adapted to the form of the upper part of the arm, above the elbow. They have, besides, very frequently, iron rings on the wrist, and a species of battle-ring, having several tongues, similar to those I saw above, and the points of which are covered with little pieces of wood in time of peace. They adorn their ears with a bead, or a red copper ring, like the natives of the country below Bari. The aures perforatæ are not, therefore, here a sign of slavery, as with most other people. I saw no weapons, except their artfully-constructed bows; for they told us previously that they would not bring any arms to the vessels, so that there might not be schammata (strife). I was present when the Sheikh of the right side of the shore, who had brought some cows, was clothed by Selim Capitan. He expressed great joy when the beads were shewn him, but he would not have anything to do with the white or the black maccaroni, although there were gold ones between them. He said “arràd” (bad), and returned them.