Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 4.djvu/593

 THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. jtJj;

fliis day, but was always overpowered by a cool breeze ati north.

On the 19th we left the weft end of the wood, or rather continued the whole length of it, and at a quarter paft eight; in the evening arrived at the. well. It is about four fa- thoms deep, but the fpring. not very abundant. We drain^- ed it feveral times, and were obliged to wait its. filling again.. Thefe laft two days, fince we were at El Cowie, we had feeii more verdure than we had altogether fince we left Barbar. Here, particularly at Teffowey, the acacia- trees are tall and verdant, but the mountains on each. fide appear black and; barren beyond imagination..

As foon as we alighted at Terfowey, and had chofen 3 proper place where our camels could feed, we unloaded our baggage near them, and fent the men to clean the well, and wait the filling of the fkins. We had lighted a large fire. The nights were exccflively cold, though the thermo- meter was at S3° ; and that cold occafioned me inexprefilble pain in my feet, now fwelled to a monftrous fize, and eve- rywhere inflamed and excoriated. I had taken upon me the charge of the baggage, and Mahomet, Idris's young man, the care of the camels ; but he too was gone to the well, though expeded to return immediately,.

A DOUBT had arifen in my mind by the way, which was then giving me great uneafinefs. If Syene is under the fame meridian with Alexandria, (for fo Eratoflhenes con- ceived when he attempted to meafure the. circumference of

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