Everywhere we notice watchhouses among the produce of the fields or tobacco-plants. They consist of four stakes, with a scaffold, and over it a flat straw roof clogged with earth, such as is seen also in the land of Sudàn. If these little watchhouses are not erected against thieves or beasts,—the former I believe to be the case on account of the abominable suspicion of the people in barter,—they may be a shelter for the labourers when carrying on the irrigation. The black gentlemen had bent reeds, which had grown crooked, for their tobacco-pipes. In order to express their joy, they jump like goats, with closed legs, swinging at the same time their arms. When old men singly try these leaps, as I saw done previously by a sheikh of the Ababdes, when we called him an old man (aguhs), it looks extremely ridiculous; but it is abominable and disgusting when old women, with their flabby breasts flying up and down, make such jumps of joy. A very narrow canal leads either to a lake or low ground, or it may form a tributary arm and an island at the right. The water here is still as clear and well-tasted as above near the mountains: sand has much to do with this. We do not remark, either, any stagnant water, standing in connexion with the stream, as further downwards. The thermometer has got up to 30°. Four o’clock, E.N.E. Several singing negroes on the right shore. Immediately N.N.E., a quarter of an hour later N. and N.W., but soon in a short bend to N.N.E. The river is about two hundred paces broad. Half past four o’clock. From N.N.E. to ——, we bring up first,—N.E. by E. for a short tract; with a short bend after a quarter of an hour N.W. A powerful Nile buffalo, looked upon with astonishment, even by the sailors themselves, being a gigantic animal, plays before us in the water, and induces the two engineers to leave for a moment their cloister system; usually they have their windows hung with curtains, and never let themselves be seen at all outside the door. Five o’clock. From N.W. to N.E., where a beautiful water-road extends before us, closed below by a green island. On the right a broad Nile-arm comes from S.E., and discharges itself to S.; it seems, therefore, to encircle a large and broad island. A number of people have collected there. The river is quite calm, unmoved by a breath of air; no oar is striking its polished surface: we sail with unruffled temper, protected against the rays of the sun, under the covering of the denda (ship’s tent, perhaps from the Italian _tenda_). A surprising swarm of black-coloured people accompanies us along the shore. We see how they wonder at our vessels, without comprehending how such a mighty machine could have originated from a sürtuk, or hewn-out trunk of a tree. The invention of their ancestors has remained here in its natural first foundation, for their necessities give no impulse to the improvement of these boats, which may have been even in use, in this part of Africa, before they were on the