On the afternoon of the 10th of February, we
encamped on the shore of the Tana Sea, a large fresh-water lake,
the reservoir of the Blue Nile. The river enters at the south-west
extremity of the lake, and issues again at its south-east extremity,
the two branches being only separated by the promontory of Zage.
[Illustration: VILLAGE OF KANOA, IN WANDIGE.]
The spot we pitched our camp upon was not far from Kanoa, a pretty
village in the district of Wandige, Kourata being almost opposite
to us, bearing N.N.E. We had to wait several days while boats were
constructed for ourselves, escort, and luggage. These boats--of the
most primitive kind of construction still in existence--are made
of bulrushes, the papyrus of the ancients. The bulrushes are tied
together so as to form a flat surface some six feet in breadth and
from ten to twenty feet in length. The two extremities are then
rolled up and tied together. The passengers and boatmen sit upon a
large square bundle of bulrushes forming the essential part of the
boat, which the outward cage serves only to keep in place, and by
its pointed extremities to favour progression. To say that these
boats leak is a mistake; they are full of water, or rather, like a
piece of cork, always half submerged: their floating is simply a
question of specific gravity. The manner in which the boats are
propelled adds greatly to the discomfort of the traveller.
Pages:
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152