side of this ridge.  We passed through what appeared to us the safest of these gaps, and soon after found ourselves in smooth but shallow water:  the river hereabouts being not less than five or six miles broad, and spotted with rocks and little green islands and ridges.  Soon after, a boat ahead grounded, and stuck fast for some time:  about five minutes after, our boat received a violent shock from a rock under water.  The rais put the boat under her foresail only, in order that in case she struck, it might be with as little force as possible.  Shortly after, it being about an hour before sunset, the rais put to shore to inquire of the people of the country as to the condition of the river ahead.

The country we saw this day, on both sides of the river, is a level plain; only one hill was visible.  The shores, and many of the islands we passed to-day, were such as we should have contemplated with greater pleasure, if we could have employed our eyes and thoughts upon any thing beside the perils by which we were environed.  They are fertile, verdant, and in many places truly picturesque.

We put to shore this day, as said before, about an hour before sunset.  When we disembarked, we found ourselves upon a large and beautiful island, almost covered with trees of various kinds.  The view from this island ranges over an immense green plain, bounded only by the horizon, and presents a great river winding in several branches through islands and shores composed of as fine a soil as any in the world, and covered with trees, among which the date tree bore a small proportion.  Dongola, we were told, was but a few hours distant from this place.

21st of Safa.  At sunrise, quitted the land and proceeded up the river, which we found very wide and shallow.  Its middle was occupied by an almost continual range of islands, in my opinion without superior in any river whatever.[16] The country bounding the river is a beautiful plain, as far as the eye can reach, as fertile as land can be, and covered with a great variety of trees, plants, and fields of corn.  We sailed on with a fair wind till within half an hour of sunset, without coming in sight of Dongola.  This, after the information we had received yesterday, somewhat disappointed us, but we consoled ourselves by observing the islands and shores we were passing, comparable to which, in point of luxuriant fertility, Egypt itself cannot show.  The whole country is absolutely overwhelmed with the products of the very rich soil of which it consists.

22d of Safa.  Quitted the land at an early hour and proceeded up the river, in hourly expectation of coming in view of Dongola, which we had been given to understand was a considerable town.  After sailing with a good wind till the middle of the afternoon, without seeing any thing but a very fertile country, resembling that we passed yesterday, the people on shore, on our landing and demanding whereabouts Dongola was, informed us that we were in Dongola, meaning