o have a
view of the west bank of the river, which presented the same succession
of villages and cultivation as on the oriental side. I have already
observed, that the date trees of this country were larger and taller
than those in Egypt. We found a similar difference in the animals of
this country; I purchased a sucking lamb, which was certainly as big as
an Egyptian sheep of a year's growth. The cattle of this country differ
from those of Egypt, in bearing, as to form, a resemblance to the
buffalo. They have a rising on the shoulder, and a similar form of the
hips. They are also larger than the cows of Egypt.

14th of Safa. The wind did not spring up this morning till a late hour,
and after continuing for about an hour and a half, fell calm. We put to
shore on the western bank of the river, where we passed the remainder
of the day and the night. The country continued fine and crowded with
villages. At this place, some of the boat's company attempted to shoot
a hippopotamus, who had shown himself several times during the day. They
succeeded only in slightly wounding him, after which he disappeared. The
people of the country say that there are twelve that frequent this place
in the river, which contains here some low islands, well adapted to
afford them food and concealment.

16th of Safa. Parted from the land about two hours after sunrise, with
a strong breeze. After continuing an hour and a half the wind subsided
into a calm, which obliged us to make for the shore. We landed on a
large island resembling those already mentioned, where we passed the
remainder of the day and the night. The country we had passed resembled
that below, beautiful, and as fertile as land can be.

16th of Safa. Left the land about an hour after sunrise, and in half an
hour passed the southern boundary of the beautiful territory of Succoot,
and entered the province of Machass. The country we were now passing is
naturally fertile, but has not such a continued succession of villages
as Succoot. About three hours after sunrise came in view of the ruins
of an ancient temple on the west bank. With some difficulty engaged the
Rais to put to shore for a few minutes, to give me an opportunity of
visiting it. This temple is manifestly of Egyptian architecture; it is
about two hundred feet long from east to west; ten of the columns only
are standing; they are composed of separate blocks of a brown stone
resembling that employed in the construction of t