without either habitations or cultivation, as the desert comes here down to the river.  The rocks and stones of the desert are generally of black granite.  No verdure was to be seen, except on the margin of the river.  The river hereabouts is much impeded by rocks and rapids, but contains many beautiful islands, some of them very large, fertile, populous, and well cultivated.  Malek Mohammed el Hadgin commands this country.  His province, called “El Raba Tab,” contains eighty-eight large and fertile islands, and the shores of the river adjacent.  He has a very high character for courage, morals, and generosity; he resides on the great island of Mograt, which is said to be about sixty miles long.[69]

We halted at about three hours before midnight on the bank of the river, within hearing of a Shellal, where the river forms a regular cataract, except a small pass on the easterly shore.  After reposing the camels an hour and a half, and refreshing ourselves with bread and the muddy water of the Nile, we recommenced our march, which was continued without cessation till an hour before noon next morning, always through the desert, in order to cut a point of land formed by an angle in the river, when we stopped under the shade of some fine date trees on the bank of the river, and in view of one of its large and ever verdant isles, called Kandessee, in a small island adjoining which Khalil Aga, my companion, says he saw, when he ascended the third cataract,[70] a pyramid more modern and fresh than any he had seen in these countries.  Possibly the island of Kandessee takes its name from the celebrated Candace, who, in the reign of Nero, repulsed and defeated the Roman legions, and this pyramid may be her tomb.  Under the date trees, on the bank of the river opposite to this island, we refreshed ourselves with our usual repast, bread and water, as the people of a village close by would give us meat neither for love, money, nor soap,[71] of which latter article they stand in great but unconscious need.

3d of Zilkade quitted our station about two hours after midnight, and went on our way.  Our route continued to lie through the desert, but not far from the bank of the river; about three hours before noon in the morning came to a small village, named Haphasheem, lying on the margin of the river, opposite a verdant island it was delightful to look at.  The river on the third cataract, Khalil Aga tells me, contains a continual chain of such.[72] I could not get any thing to relish our usual repast of bread and water, except some dates.

My eyes to-day were much inflamed by the reflection of the sun’s rays from the sand, and at night were very painful and running with matter.  Stayed here till about the same hour after midnight as yesterday, when we again set forward.  The country the same as yesterday, except that we saw several stony mountains in the desert, some of them at no great distance from the river.  Some of these mountains must contain