d left a guard of twenty-four soldiers
here, and had proceeded with the army three days' march farther up
the river, where we should find him. We determined to proceed to his
encampment. We saw to-day, for the first time, a small sail boat,
constructed by the people of the country; it was very clumsy, resembling
a log canoe. The river, in some places which we passed to-day, appeared
to be about three miles from bank to bank, but shallow; the islands and
shores presenting the same spectacle of luxuriant vegetation that we saw
yesterday.

We bought a lamb of three weeks old, this evening, whose mother was as
tall as a calf of two months old. This species of sheep is hairy, and
has no wool. The kidneys of this lamb were large enough to cover the
palm of my hand, though the animal was undoubtedly undiseased.

23d of Safa. Got under way shortly after sunrise, and proceeded up the
river with a fine wind, which lasted during the day, and carried us
probably thirty miles on our way. The country through which we passed
to-day is not so good as that we saw yesterday; the desert comes down to
the banks of the river in several places. We saw many villages, but for
the last two days have observed none of those castles so frequent in
the lower country. About an hour and a half after we quitted the land,
passed a fortified town on the west bank of the river, which appeared to
be mostly in ruins. On our landing, at night, we endeavored to purchase
some provisions, but the people of the country could only spare us some
milk and vegetables, for which they would not take money, but demanded
flour. On our consenting to this proposition, they brought us an
abundance of the articles above mentioned. They informed us that there
was a town called Dongola, containing about three hundred houses, at
the distance of two days' sail from this place, and that the Pasha was
encamped three days' march in advance of Dongola.

24th of Safa. Left the shore this morning shortly after sunrise, and
proceeded on our voyage. The country we passed through this day was, on
the west bank of the river, fine, but on the east bank the desert was
visible at a little distance from the river almost all the day. Passed
two considerable fortified towns, situated on the left bank of the
river; they were almost in ruins. An hour before sunset we put to shore
on the west bank, where we found a fertile and cultivated country. The
people who occupied it, said that they had