Expedition to discover the sources of the White Nile, in the years 1840, 1841, Vol. 1 (of 2)Werne, Ferdinand
History
Expedition to discover the sources of the White Nile, in the years 1840, 1841, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Werne, Ferdinand
Nile River
o’clock to our advantage: we sail from E.S.E. to S. and W.S.W.
At three o’clock we halt in S.E. by S. At half-past three o’clock
we go S.S.E. A tokul city of one hundred and five dwellings is on the
left, upon an island of two hours and a half long, commencing already
when we were in S. On the left shore a lake about three hours long
extends to the distant Haba, connected with the river by a narrow
canal. Somewhat more behind we see two more lakes, and at a little
distance on the right another city. On the left shore and the lake
some tokuls, with flat arched roofs and round doors. E. and E. by
S., towards S.E., is a village of thirty tokuls, some paces from the
shore, by it a lake, and behind this the other lake, which I stated
to be a water-tract, still continues.
We go quickly, with four miles’ course in S.W. by W., but also round
a corner to E. We halt at half past five o’clock to N.N.E., where,
on the right, there is a lake with a village. The before-named lake,
of about three hours long, on the left shore, extends still far with
the river, like a deserted bed of the stream, as we saw by the green
strips, and the numbers of white and light coloured birds, that had
encamped on its margin. If we consider somewhat more accurately,
as I have already remarked, the main direction of these lakes, so
far as the prospect from the vessel allows, we find that they always
form chords, diameters, and tangents of the elliptical and circular
windings of the present stream. On the right and left, a number of
elephants are quite close to the shore, without being disturbed by
us, and even the many light-brown antelopes remain quietly standing,
and gaze at us. They are of the ariel species, of which also there
are many in Taka; their flesh is very savoury.
We have done with sailing, and take refuge again in towing. The
above-named intersections of the curves formed by the river are seen
plainly on both sides. I had already thought that Suliman Kashef could
not withstand the sight of the ariels. We stop on the right, at the
shore just where the river winds from N.E. to N. The extreme edge
of the shore is broken off precipitately to a height of five feet,
as also on the right side of the river. The antelopes retreated as
soon as the noise of the vessels reached the shore. The reeds are by
no means to be trusted, because large beasts of prey are in the habit
of taking up their position there, in order to rush upon the antelopes
as their certain prize, when the deer go to water at sunset. A few
soldiers, therefore, were sent forward for our protection.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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