As usual, upon the fact becoming
known, the entire village rushed out, and, despite the
crocodiles, a crowd of men plunged into the river about a quarter
of a mile below Sofi, and swimming out they intercepted the
swollen carcase, which was quickly covered with people; they were
carried several miles down the river before they could tow the
body to shore, by ropes fastened to the swimmers. Afterwards,
there was a general quarrel over the division of the spoil: the
skin, in sections, and the tusks, were brought home in triumph.
"The country being now bright green, the antelopes are distinctly
visible on the opposite side. Three tetel (Antelopus Bubalis)
graze regularly together in the same place daily. This antelope
is a variety of the hartebeest of South Africa; it is a
reddish-chestnut colour, and is about the size of an Alderney
cow.
"One of the mimosas (Acacia Arabica) produces a fruit in
appearance resembling a tamarind: this is a powerful astringent
and a valuable medicine in cases of fever and diarrhoea; it is
generally used by the Arabs for preparing hides; when dry and
broken it is rich in a hard gum, which appears to be almost pure
tannin.
"August 20.--Close, hot, and damp weather; violent rain about
sixteen hours out of the twenty-four. When the hot season sets
in, the country will almost boil. This morning I counted 154
giraffes in one herd on the other side of the river; there were
many more, but they passed each other so rapidly that I could not
reckon the entire troop.
"August 21.--I counted 103 giraffes. There is literally no game
upon this side (west) of the Atbara, as the country for twelve
hours' journey from Sofi is thronged with Arabs during the dry
season.
"All my people are more or less ill; I am not very well myself;
but I have staved off an attack of fever by preventive measures.
"August 25.--Such a magnificent sunset I have never seen! From
all quarters were gathering storms of the blackest description,
each cloud emitting lightning without intermission, and as the
sun touched the horizon upon the only clear point, it illumined
like a fire the pitch-black clouds, producing the most
extraordinary effect of vivid colouring, combined with lightning,
and a rainbow.
"Rain in torrents throughout the night. It is now impossible to
walk on the flat table land, as the soil is so saturated that it
clings to the feet like birdlime, in masses that will pull the
shoes off unless they fit tight. All this immense tract of rich
land would grow any amount of cotton, or wheat, as in this
country the rain falls with great regularity--this might be sent
to Berber by boats during the season of flood.
