At dusk reefs are seen in the river: they appear to me to be limestones, and extend from the granite bank of Syene across the river from E. to W. At one time they might have carried on their backs beautiful islands, as the granite reefs also previously seen, which took the road of the lake, and perhaps settled themselves again at the Delta. We see that the White River finds opposition also here, and has found still more, from which its slow current is confined by itself. We navigate till late at night as far as Mount Mussa or Brane, from which I procure specimens of stones of the chert species, and remain there. Thermometer, 22°, 30° to 33°, 21°.
21st April.—We come again before noon to a reef of rocks running through the river, although the passage remains wide and broad enough:—then to sluices. The favourable wind does not last long to day; but the men row diligently, for every one is hoping to see something dear to him again, like myself, who am impatient and ardently longing for my beloved brother. Our course goes mostly between N. and N.N.E., and in the evening, we land near the trees of Moha Bey, where the last downs appear, whilst the shore extending flat on the left, supports its old character. I am thinking of making an excursion afterwards from Khartùm, because by the direction of the downs I hope to be able to determine something with respect to the shallow lake of the city.
22nd April.—Thibaut wanted to go yesterday evening to Khartùm, to take the first intelligence of our return, but that was not allowed. I am obliged also to remain, because I have fallen among robbers, and have eyes like Argus. The intelligence just arrives that Soliman Effendi is dead. I am sorry for his family, as I was for that of Vaissière, intelligence of whose death was brought to us seven days ago, by an Arabian officer. Soliman Effendi is said, as I hear now, to have poisoned the young lions I possessed: but let him rest in peace! The society of Europeans must and will now take another and better form.
A number of people came from Khartùm to pay their respects to our little Basha, Suliman Kashef, who is lying under the trees on the extended carpet. I am tired, and almost worn out, for I have not slept the whole night, because I am expecting every instant to see my brother, and have been looking, since sunrise, in the direction of the spires of Khartùm. Thermometer 22° at sunrise.
At first we navigate N. by E., then N.N.E. Oh, for the happy meeting! a former servant of ours has just come to his brother, Fadl, and gives me good, but not sufficient, intelligence. We wind north, near Omdurman, shortly before the mouth of the White river, where an arm of the Nile runs round the little island on the left, and rocks in the water on the right lie opposite to those at the right shore. Here, therefore, the White stream had to break the last dam, and its current was doubtless under the small chain of downs of Omdurman. At last we bear up near the rocks from whence the White river, which was unquestionably pressed through them and has but a slight breadth here, takes the direction to north for this short tract. The other vessels are already sailing up the Blue river, and we navigate very slowly behind with our heavy vessel, the wind being contrary.
The thunder of cannon rolled down from the vessels—joy and pleasure. I wished to describe our return, but I did not see my brother. Black thoughts suddenly shook me as if a fit of ague had attacked me. When I saw even the window-shutters of our divan closed, where he might wait for me so comfortably in the shade, I trembled violently, and my knees tottered so that they laid me on the bed. I soon, however, got up, and sat before the cabin; and just at the moment when our vessel touched the land, some one pointed him out standing on the shore. I jumped ashore from the deck, and fell down: my brother raised me up. Eleven days after this happy meeting he died in my arms, completely broken by the effects of the climate.
APPENDIX.
Much has been written, advised, and spoken, concerning the important question of the Geographical position of the sources of the White Nile, since this voyage of mine; many ridiculous as well as arrogant conjectures, and bold assertions, have been laid before the learned world, without any loss of time, respecting this historical subject. Among the pretenders to the discovery of the sources, Antoine D’Abbadie stands out the boldest of the bold. (Vide his letters from Omokullu in Ethiopia, 5th, 6th, and 7th Aug., 1847, in the Athenæum, Nos. MXLI. and MXLII. and those to Jomard and Arago, in Paris, in the “Journal des Débats,” 5th Oct., and in the “Comptes rendus Hebdomadaires des séances de l’Academie,” 4th Oct. 1847, No. XIV., T. XXV. p. 485-487).