Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa, Vol. 5 (of 5) : $b being a journal of an expedition undertaken under the auspices of H.B.M.'s Government, in the years 1849-1855Barth, Heinrich
History
Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa, Vol. 5 (of 5) : $b being a journal of an expedition undertaken under the auspices of H.B.M.'s Government, in the years 1849-1855
Barth, Heinrich
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Africa, North -- Description and travel
Thus we left this cheerless camping-ground in the afternoon, and soon
descended by a gradual inclination from the higher desert tract, which,
however, after the heavy rain that had fallen in the morning, was full
of pools of stagnant water. We then passed several encampments, till we
reached the low grassy shore of the river, when the high ground on our
left was intersected by several dry watercourses, and obliged us,
although only for a short time, to exchange the green bottom for the
rocky slope at a place where a branch of the river, which approached
closely, was full of crocodiles.
Entering then an open grassy plain intersected by several channels, and
making our way with difficulty through this swampy ground, called
Erárar, we reached about dark an encampment of Kél e’ Súk, at the border
of an open branch of the river, which was here about 400 yards broad.
The locality was called Tabórak, though not a single tree was to be seen
hereabouts; the whole district is here still called Éha. The open river
afforded a very pleasant sight, as, during the last few days, I had seen
nothing but swampy creeks. Towards the south-east, the watery plain was
bounded by Mount Tóndibi, which juts out into the river in the shape of
a promontory of considerable elevation. The locality, however, was so
very unhealthy, that I could not long enjoy the fresh air outside, but
was obliged to retire into my tent at an early hour.
[Sidenote: Saturday, June 17th.]
On leaving our camping-ground in the morning, we had to cross two small
creeks, and then keeping along the swampy plain, soon got entangled in a
larger sheet of water, which stretched along the foot of Mount Tóndibi,
and appeared to intercept our passage. We therefore thought it better to
get out of the swampy ground, which here was full of water covered with
water lilies, and to ascend the sandy downs, where we passed another
ámazagh of the Tin-ger-égedesh. There is no doubt that this swampy
plain, for several months of the year, presents one uninterrupted sheet
of water. Thus we ascended the northerly offshoots of Mount Tóndibi,
which formed undulating sandy downs, stretching forth from the foot of
the rocky mount, and richly clad with dúm-bush; but we soon passed them,
and descended again on the other side into the grassy swampy plain, at
present dry, but intersected by a creek every now and then. The river
was at a considerable distance.
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