THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 629
protect him fo far as to allow his barge fafely to pafs the confines of Egypt and to the firll cataract, where the ma- lice of the pilots would certainly have deftroyed her, and fuppofing Hie was arrived at Ibrim or Deir, the laft garrifons depending on Cairo, and that this might have been atchie- ved by money, (for by money any thing may be obtained from the government of Cairo,) yet ftill, fome days jour- ney above the garrifons of Deir and lbrim, begin the bar- ren and dreadful deferts of Nubia ; and farther fouth, at the great cataract of Jan Adel, the Nile falls twenty feet down a perpendicular rock ; fo here certainly was to be the end of' his voyage ; but the count, being ignorant of the manners of thofe countries, and exceedingly prefumptuous of his • own powers, flattered himfelf to obtain fuch afMance from the garrifon of lbrim and Deir, that he could unferew his • vefiel, take her to pieces, and carry her, by force of men, round behind the cataract, where he was to refcrew andi- launch her again into the Nile. .
The Kennoufs, inhabiting near the cataract, have feveral r villages, particularly two, one called Succoot, or the place of" tents, where Kalid Ibn el Waalid, after taking Syene in the Khalifat of Omar, encamped his army in his march to Dongola ; the other, in a plain near the river, called Afcl Dimmo, or the Field of Blood, where the fame Kalid defeated an army of Nubians, who were marching to the re- lief of Dongola, which was by him immediately after befie- ged and taken. Thefe two villages are on the Egyptian fide of the cataract ; the direct occupation of the inhabitants is gathering fena, where it very much abounds, and they carry it in boats down to Cairo. Above, and on the other- fide of the catatact, is another large village of the Ken-
jioufs.
