Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 4 (of 5): In the years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773Bruce, James
History
Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 4 (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
Having refreshed ourselves for near two hours by the enjoyment of this
water at Imgellalib, and raked a sufficient quantity of sand over the
dead bodies of our two companions, from piety and decency rather than
for use, we abandoned them to the hyænas, who had already smelled the
mortality, and were coming, two and three together, at the distance
of a long shot from the well where we were then drinking. We set
out at eleven, our road being thro' a very extensive plain; and, at
two in the afternoon, we alighted at another well, called Garigana;
the water was bad, and in small quantity. In this plain is situated
the principal village of Atbara, called Teawa. The thermometer,
slung under the camel, in the shade of the girba of water, had yet,
nevertheless, varied within these three hours from 111° to 119½.
At five o'clock we left Garigana, our journey being still to the
eastward of north; and, at a quarter past six in the evening, arrived
at the village of that name, whose inhabitants had all perished with
hunger the year before; their wretched bones being all unburied and
scattered upon the surface of the ground where the village formerly
stood. We encamped among the bones of the dead; no space could be
found free from them; and on the 23d, at six in the morning, full of
horror at this miserable spectacle, we set out for Teawa: this was
the seventh day from Ras el Feel. After an hour's travelling we came
to a small river, which still had water standing in some considerable
pools, although its banks were perfectly destitute of any kind of
shade.
At three quarters after seven in the evening we arrived at Teawa, the
principal village and residence of the Shekh of Atbara, between three
and four miles from the ruins of Garigana. The whole distance, then,
from Hor-Cacamoot, may be about sixty-five miles to Teawa, as near as
I then could compute; that is, from Hor-Cacamoot to Rashid, thirty-two
miles, and from Rashid to Teawa, thirty-three miles; but Rashid from
Hor-Cacamoot bears N. W. and by N. and the latitudes are:--
Teawa, lat. 14° 2´ 4´´ N.
Hor-Cacamoot, 13° 1´ 33´´
-------------
Difference, lat. 1° 0´ 31´´
-------------
The difference of longitude is then but five or six miles; so that
Teawa is very little to the westward of due north from Hor-Cacamoot,
and nearly in the same meridian with Ras el Feel, which is four miles
west of Hor-Cacamoot. From Imhanzara to Teawa, but especially from
Imgellalib, we went always to the eastward of north. From Teawa we
observed the following bearings and distances:
Beyla, W. S. W. about 28 miles at farthest.
Hasib, S. and by W.
Jibbel Imsiddera, S. about 8 miles, where is good water.
Mendera, N. 48 miles; indifferent water from deep wells.
Rashid, S. nearly 33 miles; plenty of good water all the year.
Jibbel Isriff, E. N. E. about three miles; water.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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