_17th January._—We halted yesterday evening close to a large city on the left shore, and remained there till eight o’clock this morning. This delay was caused by the natives constantly dragging down elephants’ tusks to us. The tokuls are like sheds, but barricaded round about with thick stakes, probably on account of the wild beasts. My European companions are very anxious about my health, and wish me not to write. They will lend a hand to me in every thing—very cunning of them! On the right and left villages. An island on the left shore, at least a gohr, enters into the land there; but where tarries the other gohr or Nile arm, that we saw four days ago? From E.S.E. to S.E. The north wind is better to-day than yesterday, when it set in, so desirable to me in my invalid state, and we make three miles. On the right shore a Haba, sometimes retreating a little, sometimes approaching. An innumerable crowd of negroes stood at the before-mentioned bend of the river, but we sail proudly by, without throwing out beads, and exciting the desire of such a mass of human beings for our glass riches. The people cultivate their fields, and are really better fed, but appear not to be equally particular about washing. The shores of the Nile are twelve to fifteen feet high, and there prevails a crumbling humus, easily rubbed to powder; always strongly, however, mixed with sand. These men, moreover, not only produce the fruits above alluded to, but also gàra and battigh (gourds and water-melons). Iron rings on the arms and feet seem to be regarded here with more respect than ivory rings. We leave two islands, of about two hours in length, at our side; they are also cultivated. As the country becomes more interesting, I feel myself happily a little better, and this may partly arise from the clearer air. The natives say that the Felati, who wear clothing or rags (sharmuta), like our men, are only a few days’ journey from us to the west. I hear that these Felati, like the Tokruri, from Darfùr, being Muslims, make the pilgrimage to Mecca. It is certain that they do not take the road traversed by us, for nothing is known of them in Khartùm: it appears to me more likely that they join the pilgrim caravan of Burnu, and distribute themselves in the neighbourhood of the Nile, the better to beg their way through. Subsequently I became acquainted with a slave in Khartùm, who had come to the land of Sudàn, through Burnù. Felati means there dissolute roving men, such as these Tokruri, from the interior of Africa, generally are. It is thought that we shall meet with these Felati, and this is the more desired by me, because, as they partly speak Arabic, I could ask them questions myself, and should have no need of two or three interpreters, who translate in a careless manner one to the other.