Identifier: explorationsadve00wils (find matches)
Title: Explorations and adventures in the wilds of Africa;
Year: 1909 (1900s)
Authors: Wilson, James Russell
Subjects:
Publisher: (Philadelphia?)
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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heinterpreter was nearly ignorant of English, although a professed polyglot.With this small beginning, Africa was before me, and thus I commencedthe search for one of the sources of the Nile, From Korosko the travellers crossed the Nubian Desert on camels,with the simoon in full force and the heat intense, to Berber. Here Mr.Baker, finding his want of Arabic a great drawback, resolved to devotea year to the study of that language, and to spend the time in the com-paratively known regions to the north of Abyssinia, while he exploredthe various confluences of the Blue Nile. Berber is a large town, and in appearance is similar to the Nile townswf Lower Egypt, consisting of the usual dusty, unpaved streets, and flat-roofed houses of sun-baked bricks. It is the seat of a Governor orMudir, and is generally the quarters for about 1,500 troops. Says Baker: We were very kindly received by Halleem Efiendi, the ex-Governor,who at once gave us permission to pitch the tents in his garden, close to
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22 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. the Nile, on the southern outskirt of the town. After fifteen days ofdesert marching, the sight of a well-cultivated garden was an Eden inour eyes. About eight acres of land, on the margin of the river, werethickly planted with lofty date groves, and shaded citron and lemon trees,beneath which we reveled in luxury on our Persian rugs, and enjoyedcomplete rest after the fatigue of our long journey. Beautiful Garden. * Countless birds were chirping and singing in the trees above uk;.Innumerable ring-doves were cooing in the shady palms ; and the suddeftchange from the deadly sterility of the desert to the scene of verdureand of life produced an extraordinary effect upon the spirits. Whatcaused this curious transition ? Why should this charming oasis, teem-ing with vegetation and with life, be found in the yellow, sandy desert *Water had worked this change ; the spirit of the Nile, more potent thanany genii of the Arabian fables, had transformed the desert into

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