Not Only Is The Inundation The Effect Of The Abyssinian Rains,
But The Deposit Of Mud That Has Formed The
Delta, and which is
annually precipitated by the rising waters, is also due to the
Abyssinian streams, more especially to
The river Atbara, which,
known as the Bahr el Aswat (Black River), carries a larger
proportion of soil than any other tributary of the Nile;
therefore, to the Atbara, above all other rivers, must the wealth
and fertility of Egypt be attributed.
It may thus be stated: The equatorial lakes FEED Egypt; but the
Abyssinian rivers CAUSE THE INUNDATION.
This being a concise summary of the Nile system, I shall describe
twelve months' exploration, during which I examined every
individual river that is tributary to the Nile from Abyssinia,
including the Atbara, Settite, Royan, Salaam, Angrab, Rahad,
Dinder, and the Blue Nile. The interest attached to these
portions of Africa differs entirely from that of the White Nile
regions, as the whole of Upper Egypt and Abyssinia is capable of
development, and is inhabited by races either Mohammedan or
Christian; while Central Africa is peopled by a hopeless race of
savages, for whom there is no prospect of civilization.
The exploration of the Nile tributaries of Abyssinia occupied the
first twelve months of my journey towards the Nile sources.
During this time, I had the opportunity of learning Arabic and of
studying the character of the people; both necessary
acquirements, which led to my ultimate success in reaching the
"Albert N'yanza." As the readers of the work of that title are
aware, I was accompanied throughout the entire journey by my
wife, who, with extraordinary hardihood and devotion, shared
every difficulty with which African travel is beset.
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