We approached the place, and found only three people there standing by their watched boats; and saw, far on the naked plain, men engaged in driving their cows into the interior to secure them from us. The miserable village, which may number some fifty decayed tokuls, was called El Aes, although it is only a summer village for herdsmen and fishermen belonging to the larger city of El Aes, lying up the country. This city once gave the name of land of El Aes, or Dar el Aes to the whole region up to Khartùm, now known under the name of Wollet Medine, lying above Khartùm, on the Blue Nile. The city of El Aes is one of the principal colonies of the Hassaniës, and was at the time of the Funghs one of the three capitals of the kingdom; the others were Sennaar and the now almost deserted Arbagi on the Blue river. It is also a kind of emporium between the Shilluks and Sennaar, wherein the traders of El Aes, by their slaves, barter Kurbàshes (the whips commonly used here, made from the skin of the hippopotamus), tamarinds, dried bamies, and Uèka, in exchange for horned cattle, durra, and woollen stuffs. The Sheikh el Belled had prudently departed for Khartùm, and could not therefore wait upon us here with a contribution, to become our guide and interpreter through the islands, as he did the preceding year, when Suliman Kashef, without any ceremony, retained him on board ship with his son. On this account we did not land; besides, we feared that our men would desert. Immediately above the village commences again the forest, and we see by the many dry leaves scattered about that the consumption of firewood, and consequently the accumulation of human beings, cannot be very considerable. As there was nothing to be got we did not remain long. Close to the left shore is an island nearly three hours’ long, one of those fertile plains so numerous here, six more of which we passed, though indeed of less size, up to three o’clock in the afternoon. At this time we landed some two hours’ above the so-called El Aes, near the old and partly withered trees, for the purpose of taking in wood for fuel. The ancient elevated river’s edge, up to which the water can no longer rise, being retained by the downs which are themselves washed up, is plainly visible on the right shore, through the light places.