In spite of the hot exhalations of the ground, which I felt indeed in my feet and legs, and notwithstanding the heat of 28°, I go a little into the interior of the country. The usual clay soil was under the humus, for the whole surface of the earth was open to it, and full of deep holes or foot-prints of the colossal animals running here. The trees have a sickly appearance, and are old dwarf trees standing upon and round about the ant-hills. These trees are called _Enderàbs_. The bark is smooth on the old trunk and has nearly fallen off; on the young straight shoots it is rough, and a brownish grey, like in the hazel-tree; the leaf is lanceolated similar to that of the Oleander’s, but light green and slender, with sharply indented borders. The wood is, on the whole, soft, and may be compared to the linden wood. The greatest part of the Haba consists of these trees, which, however, had also previously appeared. The reed-grass was eaten away and trodden down by the beasts. It might, in former times, have caught fire, and contributed to the destruction of this forest. Four o’clock.—Already the drum has beaten three times for departure; but everything in our vessel remains in the most beautiful state of tranquillity; because the wood-hewers, scattered in the Haba, must be waited for. The Nile makes here also a circular stream, which is stronger than in the preceding curve, where we were driven, in spite of sailing and rowing, on to Selim Capitan’s vessel. So likewise Suliman Kashef comes upon us, as if he were going to board us, whilst we were lying quite peaceably at the shore. The current of the river is far stronger, and receives below a check by the lake, which may give it additional water, for the islands floating there dance a waltz in front of us before going further. There must be some cause for that. I advance, and see, on the left, another small lake, and succulent green grass, from its shore even to the Nile. This lake stretches from N.E. to S.W. The river makes a bend from our landing-place, which we leave soon after four o’clock, from W. to S.S.W. I am inclined to believe, judging from the yellow reed-grass, that this lake, like the former one, where the crew, when towing, were able to go over the dam, separating it from the river, is closed at its heading, whilst the river flows by it. I remark also, up the country, green tracks of vegetation, possibly covering for a short time, or for ever, the vital veins of the lake. The Haba loses itself, and only solitary trees denote still the right side of the Nile, whilst W.N.W. to S.W. a tract, rich in trees, bounds the horizon. The south extends before us, from S.W. to S.E., without a tree, and perhaps, therefore, has the river-bed in its centre.