Eastern Sudan: Bisharin Country and the Gold Mines

During one of the frequent journeys I made in Nubia, or the country of the Barabras, between the cataract of Aswan and that of Wadea[1]Alfa, I had just left the Soli, the temple of Dake, and was sailing up the Nile under full sail, in my dahabiet, a beautiful and large boat, sailing admirably, when we were suddenly caught abeam by a very strong current, which threw us violently on the left bank of the river.

Several times we returned, with all our sails swollen by a good wind, to try to ascend higher, and force this current from the right bank. This was impossible; then I had the boat brought close to the right bank, a little downstream of the current, to go ashore to examine whence this strong current came.

It was an impetuous torrent, very rapid, which poured into the bed of the river its waters, very laden with clayey parts and sand.

The weather, however, was clear and serene, and on the east side, whence this great quantity of water came, with great velocity, not the least small cloud was to be seen, nothing to indicate that a considerable storm could be the cause of the formation of such a torrent.