On our return from the chase, during which not a shot was fired, we lost two bàltashi (carpenters or sappers) in the reeds, without our being able to recall them, though signal-shots were fired. They were Egyptians, steady men, and therefore we could not at all suppose that they had deserted. Notwithstanding this, the crew only looked for these men in the neighbourhood, shrugged their shoulders, and supposed that the assad or nimr (lion or tiger) had eaten them. The word _nimr_ cannot, properly speaking, mean tiger here, for there are no tigers, as is well known, in Africa; but it is the general expression for panthers and leopards, as _fagged_ for the lynx. At eight o’clock we sail on again to S.E., and make four miles. The river is here again about 400 paces broad. At nine o’clock, when we go S., we leave a small island at our left; the wind slackens in half an hour, but brings us S. by E. to a village, near which we cast anchor in the middle of the river. _8th January._—The vessels stand S.E., and this is the first time, for a considerable period, that _one_ direction has held on so long. Long before sun-rise, the natives sing in honour of us their “Teabing.” The village only consists of some forty sleeping-places; each one holds several men, but the herds of cattle tethered there are exceeding numerous. The natives drive oxen near us, and are in such haste to bring them to the vessels that we can scarcely keep them off; they remain standing with the beasts, quite out of humour, point to them, and make supplicating gestures that we would condescend to receive the offerings. We have, however, become proud, for our Saturnian stomachs have had, at last, enough meat. The natives are of unusual size, and the troop standing above the pastoral village near the bee-hives, overtop their habitations by a foot. The north-east wind is too faint; therefore again the cry is “Churr el libàhn.” From the mast:—back on the right, towards W., a large lake and a village; another at the side towards S.W., of half an hour in length, with a herdsman’s village. Behind this the Haba draws round in a bend. The wood is about one hour and a half distant, beyond the right side of the shore; but no lake is to be seen there, because there are not any angles cut off at this side. So likewise Fadl does not see a village, although yonder is the country of the Bohrs, who are said to dwell more inland; at all events, there must be water there. My Sale Mohammed, who, being my cook, wanted to procure me some roasted venison, has, against my will, gone too far from the shore, and not observed that we have changed the towing-path, and gone to the left shore. I am very angry with him, for one so easily gets in a passion in these countries. On calmer reflection, I see that I ought to have more care for his life, and that he who ventures his life for me does not deserve blows.