Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 4.djvu/542

 at thirty-five minutes pat three we arrived at Halifoon; about five miles from the ferry on the eat ide of the Nile. One mark of the boatmen's attention I cannot but mention: The weather was very hot, and we had plenty of time; the water being clear and tempting, I propoed wimming over to the other ide for the pleaure of bathing; but they, one and all, oppoed my deign with great violence, and would not uffer me to undres. They aid there was a multitude of crocodiles in the river near that place, and although they were not large enough to kill, or carry off a camel, they very often wounded them, and it would be a wonder if we paed without feeing them; indeed the lat boat had not reached the hore before two of them roe in the middle of the tream. I made what hate I could to get a gun, and fired at the larget, but, as far as I could judge, without effect.

the 22d, at three o'clock in the afternoon we left Halifoon, and by ten at night came to Halfaia, a large, handome, and pleaant town, although built with clay. The houes are terraed at the tops, their inhabitants being no longer afraid of the rains, which have been for ome time here very inconiderable. The Battaheen were encamped near Umdoom, a large village on the ide of the river, about even miles from Halifoon. They are a thievih, pilfering et, and we paed them early in the morning, before it was light. The road is very pleaant, through woods of acacia trees, interpered with large fields covered with bent gras. At Umdoom we found troops of women going to their morning occupation, that of gathering feeds to make bread.