THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 437
myfelf out of them, or, even if I loft my life, of the account being conveyed to my friends at home ; the great and un- reafonable preemption which had led me to think that, after every one that had attempted this voyage had mifcar- ried in it, I was the only perlbn that was to fucceed ; all thefe refledions upon my mind, when relaxed, dozing, and half oppreffed with fleep, filled my imagination with whirl have heard other people call the horrors, the mod difagreea- ble fenfation I ever was confcious of, and which I then felt for the firft time. Impatient of fuffering any longer, I leap- ed out of bed, and went to the door of the tent, where the outward air perfeftly awakened me,and reftored my ftrength and courage. All was ftill, and at a diftance I faw feveral bright fires, but lower down, and more to the right than I expe&ed, which made me think I was miftaken in the fiti*- ation of Karcagna. It was then near four in the morning of the 25th. I called up my companions, happily buried in deep fleep, as I was defirous, if pofiible, to join the king that day. We accordingly were three or four miles from Derdera when the fun rofe ; there had been little rain that night, and we found very few torrents on our way; but it. was flippery, and uneafy walking, the rich foil being trod- den into a confluence like pafte.
About feven o'clock we entered upon the broad plain of Maitfha, and were fall leaving the lake. Here the country- is, at leaf! a great pant of it, in tillage, and had been, in ap- pearance, covered with plentiful crops, but all was cut down by the army for their horfes, or trodden under foot, from careleflhefs or vengeance, fo that a green blade-could fcarce* ly be feen. We faw a number of people this day, chiefly fkaggling foldiers, who, in parties of threes and fours, had
been 1
