Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 4.djvu/369

 THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 341

we faw a large one, like the antelope, his buttocks (a confiderable way up his back) being covered with white, which terminated upon his thigh in a black line, drawn from the haunch down very nigh to the joint of his hind leg. Thefe we had never feen before. They are called Ariel in Arabia, go in large flocks, are exceedingly fwift ; though, from the neceffity of coming to water, and its only being found in particular places, they were an eafy vidim to thofe that watched for them at night.

Sim Sim is a copious fpring, which fupplies a large ba- fon the Arabs have dug for it near thirty feet deep. It lies weft of Rafliid, or a little to the fouthward of weft. It is in a fandy defert, in the diretfl way to Beyla and Sennaar, and here the Daveina kept their Hocks, equally fecure from the fly and the troops of Sennaar, the two great enemies they have to fear ; and being in the neighbourhood of Ras el Feel, they keep a large market there, fupplying that country amply with provifions of all kinds, and getting from it, in return, what they have not in their own diftri(5l,.

We were juft two hours in coming to Ralhid, for we were flying for our lives ; the Simoom, or hot-wind, having ftruck us not long after we had fet out from Imferrha, and our little company, all but myfelf, fell mortally flck with the quantity of poifonous vapour that they had imbibed. I apprehend, from Rafliid to Imferrha it is about five miles; and though it is one of the moft dangerous halting-places between Ras el Feel and Sennaar, yet we were fo enervated, our ftomachs fo weak, and our head-achs fo violent, that we could not pitch our tent, but each wrapping himfelf in his cloak, refigned himfelf immediately to fleep, under

the.