Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 1 (of 5): In the years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773Bruce, James
History
Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 1 (of 5): In the years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773
Bruce, James
Egypt -- Description and travel; Ethiopia -- Description and travel; Ethiopia -- History; Natural history -- Ethiopia; Nile River
On the 14th, the wind was variable till near ten o’clock, after which
it became a little fair. At twelve it was as favourable as we could
wish; it blew however but faintly. We passed first by one island
surrounded by breakers, and then by three more, and anchored close
to the shore, at a place called Jibbel Shekh, or the Mountain of the
Saint. Here I resolved to take a walk on shore to stretch my limbs, and
see if I could procure any game, to afford us some variety of food. I
had my gun loaded with ball, when a vast flock of gooto got up before
me, not five hundred yards from the shore. As they lighted very near
me, I lay down among the bent grass, to draw the charge, and load with
small shot. While I was doing this, I saw two antelopes, which, by
their manner of walking and feeding, did not seem to be frightened.
I returned my balls into the gun, and resolved to be close among the
bent, till they should appear before me.
I had been quiet for some minutes, when I heard behind me something
like a person breathing, on which I turned about, and, not without
great surprise, and some little fear, saw a man, standing just over
me. I started up, while the man, who had a little stick only in his
hand, ran two or three steps backwards, and then stood. He was almost
perfectly naked: he had half a yard of coarse rag only wrapt round his
middle, and a crooked knife stuck in it, I asked him who he was? He
said he was an Arab, belonging to Shekh Abd el Macaber. I then desired
to know where his master was? He replied, he was at the hill a little
above, with camels that were going to Yambo. He then, in his turn,
asked who I was? I told him I was an Abyssinian slave of the Sherriffe
of Mecca, was going to Cairo by sea, but wished much to speak to his
master, if he would go and bring him. The savage went away with great
willingness, and he no sooner disappeared, than I set out as quickly
as possible to the boat, and we got her hauled out beyond the shoals,
where we passed the night. We saw afterwards distinctly about fifty
men, and three or four camels; the men made several signs to us, but
we were perfectly content with the distance that was between us, and
sought no more to kill antelopes in the neighbourhood of Sidi Abd el
Macaber.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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