Now D’Abbadie makes _his_ source of the Nile bubble up about the _eighth_ degree of north latitude; whereas, I have navigated up the river with this Expedition, which has advanced further than any other, as far as the _fourth_ degree north latitude, where, as already mentioned, the sources of the Nile were expressly pointed out to us as lying still farther to the _South_. It appears to me, therefore, a desperate and daring attempt, on the part of our discoverer, to claim for himself “primo occupanti,” that water which he saw, or even waded through, as being _a priori_, the _real and true_ source of the White Stream. The pretensions to _priority_ of discovery,—claims that were to be kept up on any terms,—may perhaps be what he has fixed his eyes upon, and which he has pursued too eagerly, without any forbearance, as is plainly perceived by his passionate letter to Mr. Ayrton, against Dr. Beke, who inclined to the opinion expressed by me concerning the source. The degree of latitude stated by him, in complete opposition to the direction of all the stream territory we visited, is no stumbling-block to him any more than the diametrically opposite opinion of the natives of Bari. Antoine D’Abbadie specifies three points which appear to him to decide the only true source of every river; it is therefore surprising that the _first_ of these rules laid down by him, viz. to determine the course of a river by the _opinion of the people_, is exactly inapplicable to the White Nile; for _that_ is completely in opposition to his favourite idea. He tells us expressly that the aborigines dwelling at the sources of _his_ White Nile, make _these very same sources_ flow collectively into the Abbay (Blue Nile). It required, therefore, more than courage to throw aside the popular opinion, and to give a contrary direction to the sources, without having convinced himself _personally_ of the fact, by a corresponding examination of these supposed tributaries. This statement of the people of Damot ought to be more valued and credited, because, according to him, they derived their origin from Gojam (Godjam), and Bagemidr; therefore from a northern country on the Abbay.