Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 4.djvu/443

 THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 415^

got from deep wells. Large plantations of Indian corn are everywhere about the town. The inhabitants are in con^ tinual apprehenfion from the Arabs Daveina at Sim Sim, about 40 miles fouth-eaft from them ; and from another powerful- race called Wed abd el Gin, /. e. Son of tbeJJaves of the Devil, who live to the fouth-weft of them, between tho Dender and the Nile. Beyla is another frontier town of Sennaar, on the fide of Sim Sim ; and between Teawa and this, on the Sennaar fide, and Ras el Feel, Nara, and Tchelgaj upon the Abyffinian fide, all is defert and wafte, the Arabs only fufFering the water to remain there without villages- near it, that they and their flocks may come at certain feafons while the grafs grows, and the pools or fprings fill elfewhere. .

Although Iwent early to bed with full determination to fet out by day-break, yet I found it was impoffible to puc my defign in execution, or get from the hands of our kind landlord. One of our girbas feemed to fail, and needed to be repaired. Nothing good, as he truly faid, could come from the Shekh of Atbara. A violent difpute had arifen in the evening, after I was gone to bed, over their bouza, be- tween the king's fervant and that of Shekh Adelan. It was about dividing their fees which they had received from Shekh Fidele. This was carried a great length, and it was at laft a- greed that it fliould be determined by the Shekh of Beyla in the morning, when both of them, as might be fuppofed^ Ihould have cooler heads. For my part, 1 took no thought or concern about it, as no circumftance of its origin had been notified to me ; but it took up fo much of our time, that it was after dinner before we were. ready.