The house is situated on a lofty ridge, six or eight miles long, the route of the main road in that part of the county, but over which a team does not pass more than once a week, and there is no house in sight of the school-house.
The school is managed by trustees, one of whom is a professor of Berea College, and the present pastor of Walnut Chapel Church, to which he preaches once a month, in the school-house. There is no other school in the county fit to qualify young people for teachers.
AFRICA.
MR. LADD’S JOURNAL.
Monday, Jan. 2.—A good breeze sprang up in the night and we were off. The rocks were reached about 8 A.M. Here we found a number of sunken rocks extending for some three or four miles. We passed the junction of the Atbara, the first tributary of the Nile, at 9 A.M. It is a good, fair stream where it joins the main river. Just above the mouth of the Atbara there is an island called Fatlab. A few miles beyond the island, and not at the mouth of the Atbara, as on most maps, is the town of Darner on the east side. Here we stopped about an hour and a half for fresh provisions. The sailors bought salt, etc., on speculation, while Doctor and I wandered about picking up flints on the desert on which the town is built, and chatting with an Arab we met, who happened to understand a few words of French. The sailors here begged us so hard to let them put up the stars and stripes that we finally relented from our former purpose and consented, provided we sailed into Khartoum under the Egyptian flag. We found that the men were inclined to stop here too long, in order to drive sharp bargains for their own profit, and at the end of an hour and a half we ordered them to start, much against their own will. There was not a man of them who understood the first thing about sailing, and when we attempted to start, their management was so bad that we turned around like a top, and had to make the shore again and take a fresh start. The banks along here are thickly studded with “sakias,” which make night as well as day musical with their continuous squeak and groan. We passed a number of huts and a town called Gelase. There are several large islands in the river along here. The wind died down as we reached one of the largest of them, called Zaidab, and we tied up to its banks for the night.
Tuesday, Jan. 3.—The morning has been unusually cool. The men were lazy, and did not start with the first breeze. They require more urging than is pleasant. We have seen great numbers of crocodiles. Doctor has a cold and headache. Stopped “to get wood.” Stopped again “to get greens.” This time was righteously indignant and told the men they would not stop again while the wind blew. A sharp bend in the river. The town of Sigada on the west side. Low mountains in the distance on the east side. As we approached them we found that they come close to the river. Sandstone and limestone rocks. Miserable sailing! The worst I ever saw. We had a fine breeze, and yet the sails were set in such a way that they flapped and threatened to turn inside out. Stood it as long as I could, then took things into my own hands and ordered the sails set to suit me. All at once, in the afternoon, the main sheet broke, and away went the sail. The men stood and looked at it, hoping it would somehow get right, while we floated down stream. Saw about 20 ft. of high bank cave in with a great splash. The pyramids of Meroe came in sight. We counted eight of them. This would be an interesting spot to visit, but relic hunting is not our business just now. A large island stands in front of them. We saw five large crocodiles sunning themselves on a point of land. Doctor shot at one of them, and the result was that he hurried off into the water. The nights are beautiful. It is full moon, and so we sail on while the wind lasts. While everything was going nicely, and our course as plain by moonlight as by day, the men suddenly got frightened. They thought there was a sand-bar just ahead. The rudder was put hard over. We went clear to the other side of the river, where they actually managed to find a bar and stick on it. Then they had to pole back to where they were before, and found their former course all right. These men really do not know any more about managing a boat than the man in the moon.
Wednesday, Jan. 4.—Was up in the night to see about the sailing. Dared not trust the men. We have had a good breeze, but made miserable time. We stopped a little while for wood, and then stood out with a good wind. A merchant boat came up in the rear, passed us, and left us far behind. The Doctor is feeling rather poorly. We reached Shendy about noon, and were fully an hour in passing it. This is a large town. We saw about a thousand cattle on the bank, and camels coming and going. The larger proportion of the houses that are visible from the river have been destroyed by the rains and stand in ruins. This is said to be a very healthy place, and it has every appearance of it. The desert comes to the river. About eight fine sycamore trees in one place on the bank make a fine site for a building. There are other trees near. A wall has been built along the river to protect the bank. Here we saw a number of whirlwinds carrying the desert sand hundreds of feet into the air. The town of El Metammeh, on the west side, and a few miles farther up the river is a very large place—said to be larger than Berber. Here also the desert comes to the river. The town stands back a little, and the banks are not quite so high. We rounded a point. A fine wind was blowing, but the men insisted that they must put to shore “to pick up the sail,” or in other words tighten the rigging. Soon after I found them sitting on the bank contemplating the rigging instead of working at it, and sailed into them lively. They soon had it done.
Thursday, Jan. 5.—Passed some high hills during the night. We have had a fine breeze nearly all night and all the morning. We passed some sandstone rocks on the west bank, which come to the water’s edge. These are nearly opposite to Ben Naga. We have run upon a sand-bar twice. Saw a large number of crocodiles of immense size. A man on shore hailed us frantically, and wanted us to take a quantity of butter for him to Khartoum! As though the Governor’s boat, with two Americans on board, impatient to get along, was going to be turned into a merchant vessel! The men were a little inclined to stop, but we ordered them to go on, and the poor fellow was left on the bank swinging his arms like a windmill and getting red in the face. We are passing through a fine grazing country. A new man suddenly turns up on board, who understands sailing and steering a little better than the others. Where he came from we do not know, but suspect that he was picked up at the last place where we stopped. Now we are making better time. We reached the beginning of the “cataract” at 2:20 P.M. We had a fine wind and plenty of time before sunset, but the captain was afraid to go on and made a variety of foolish excuses. We landed and made inquiries, and finding there was no danger ordered him to proceed at once. We found a few rocks and some sand banks, but there was not the slightest difficulty. We passed some beautiful islands covered with trees and festooning vines and high grass. By sunset we had passed most of the rocks, and then the wind ceasing, and the men being tired, we allowed them to tie up for the night. Ducks are plenty about here. The Garri Mountains are in sight.