1 836.] ( 163 ) VII.-Pfotes on a Journey {o Kordofan, in 1836-7. BYARTHUR T. HOLROYD, Esq. [Read 25th February, 1839.] IT was not until I llad arrived at Wadi Halfah, at the second or great cataract of the Nile, in lat. !z2? N., that I finally resolve(l to penetrate into the Beled-es-SudEn (countries of the Blacks), and even then I dicl not anticipate prosecuting my journey beyond the ruins of Musawwerat,* in the neighbourhood of Shendi, or at the utmost to I(hartum (Proboscis), the seat of the Pashti's government for the provinces to the south of the second cataract. The sequel will show that I visited Sennar, and then procee(led to the west to E1 'Obeid,+ the capital of Wordofan. In the afternoon of December 5th, 1Ss36, having enfflaged camels at 35 piastres each, l left Wadi IIalfah, accompanie(:l by HAji Suleiman my interpreter, and 'Ali an inferior (lomestic; an(l, having crossed the Nile, determined to take the road on its west bank to New Dongola (Donkolah) . Our route lay through Abu-sir, Tahti, Kagmi, Semneh, Askur, Melik-en-nasr, an(l 'Okmeh, all small villages consisting of only a few huts: at this latter place there is a hot saline spring close to the river; it is al)out 4 miles S. from the village. A small quaelrangular burntlarick ruin, without either door or windoss, but with an opening at the top, now nearly closed by the drifted san(l, shows that this was, in all proloability, anciently used as a bath. At the back of this building is the principal spring, which is so close to the e(lge of the river, that it must be conceale(l during the inuntlation. The temperature of this water at its source is 130? of Fahrenheit. Smaller and more insignificant springs ooze through the ground on each siele of the principal one to the distance of 250 paces, an(l the saline matter left l)y the e+7aporation gave the bank a frosty appearance. The peasants of'Olimeh have an i(lea that the hot spring comes un(ler grounel from the Oasis of Selimall, 70 miles to the W., where there is abundance of muriate of soda in a state of great purity; and I afterX-ar(ls aske(l an inte]ligent camel-driver, who had made many excursions to Selimah, at what point he thought he shouXl come upon the Nile if he travel]e(l elue E. from Sel imah, antl he replied at ' Okmell. This is strongly corroborative of the position of Selimah lai(l down by Mr. W. G. Browne, an(l of its position-relative to 'Okmeh as given in l\Ir. John Arrowsmith's ma). From 'Okmeh we passed through Da1, Sakiyet el Abt, Deir Hami(l, Setlaenga, :r)oshe, Sc)-leil, Koyeh, Tinareh, Gurgo(l, Saesa, Maraliol, LIannek, anel * Musawwerat, " the fiurel (buildings)," is misspelt} as is often the case, in M. Cailliaudis table of proper names.-F S t Vulgarly pronouxlced L'obeyet: ;t means " the little slave."-F. s. YOL. IX. N