who stands at a safe distance from his enemy and kills him with an invisible stroke.

We have been more minute than usual in our details respecting the state of society among the people above the junction of the rivers, because till the famous expedition of Ishmael Pasha, no European in modern times had visited that remote country. Of the city of Sennaar itself, which in the days of Poncet was remarkable for its population, little now remains besides a heap of ruins. There are indeed in some of its quarters several hundred habitable but almost deserted houses; and at every step the traveller treads upon portions of burnt bricks, among which are often found fragments of porcelain and even of marble. The most conspicuous buildings now are a mosque and a large palace adjoining to it. The former is in good preservation; its windows are covered with bronze gratings skilfully manufactured, and the doors are handsomely and curiously carved. The interior, when viewed by the American officer, was desecrated by uncouth figures of animals portrayed upon the walls with charcoal. This profanation had been perpetrated by the infidels who dwell in the mountains, a march of thirteen days southward of the capital; and who at some period not very long past had taken the town, and left upon the walls these tokens of their disrespect for the religion of the Prophet.

The palace is large, but in ruins, except a single pile of building in the centre, which is six stories high, and has five rows of windows. When stationed on the roof, the visiter obtains the best view that is anywhere to be had of this barbarian metropolis; which appears to be about three miles in circumference, of an oblong form, and stretched along the western bank of the Abyssinian Nile. In examining the structure of the older description of houses, the most remarkable thing in the eye of a European is the workmanship of the doors. These are composed of planks carefully planed and jointed, frequently adorned with carving, and strengthened or studded with very broad-headed nails; the whole inimitable by the present population of Sennaar, The houses themselves are rarely of more than one story in height, having roofs terraced with fine clay spread over mats laid upon rafters. Such is the present appearance of a town that has evidently been once rich and flourishing,

but which, during eighteen years prior to the date of the Egyptian expedition, had been the victim of repeated wars and rebellion.

The country in the neighbourhood of Sennaar consists of wide plains, in which are numerous and spacious villages. A long rugged mountain, the only one in sight, stands about fifteen miles to the westward of the town. Below it is a small but pretty island, whose inhabitants earn a livelihood by raising vegetables for the market; and the opposite bank of the river presents several verdant patches devoted to the same object. At a greater distance the ground appeared to be chiefly covered with trees and brushwood, among which were seen a number of elephants in search of food.

We have hitherto followed the progress of the invading army under the command of Ishmael, the son of Mohammed Ali, guided by the narrative of the American officer in the service of that prince. Cailliaud and his friend M. Letorzec were likewise attached to the camp, and enjoyed the countenance of the military chief, who appears to have shaped his conduct towards them under the impression that the knowledge of his exploits in Upper Nubia would be communicated to Europe through the medium of their writings. From Sennaar to the remote Singueh we accompanied the French author, whose work is not only the most récent, but also the most satisfactory on this branch of our geographical survey. In truth, there is no other publication in the languages of the West to which we can have recourse; and we may add, that no Frank traveller in the memory of man has ever penetrated into those distant provinces on the Blue River, which about ten years ago were traversed by the Egyptian troops in their celebrated expedition against the meleks of the south. It may be noticed, that before the army commenced their march, the Pasha Ibrahim, afterward so well known in Greece, had joined his brother with a reinforcement, and was prepared to share with him the perils of a new campaign.

It was on the 5th of December, 1821, that these chiefs left Sennaar at the head of their respective divisions, and proceeded along the western bank of the Abyssinian Nile. After a few days they separated; Ishmael keeping near that stream, and the other holding more to the westward, in

the direction of the Bahr el Abiad. Ibrahim had twelve hundred men under his command; his colleague had fifteen hundred; while an equal number was left to guard the camp and secure the new conquests.

The march through a country impeded with wood was necessarily tedious, and seldom relieved by the occurrence of any interesting events. The invaders, who were supplied with a few pieces of cannon, required the aid of camels and other beasts of burden, which on some occasions increased the difficulties of their passage. It was not, therefore, till the 17th day of the month that, after having seen a number of inferior villages, they arrived at El Queribyn, a small town built on the declivity of a hill, and flanked on either side by a rocky eminence.

After a number of observations, M. Cailliaud ascertained the position of this place to be in 12 degrees and about 7 minutes of north latitude, and in 31 degrees 30 minutes of east longitude, reckoning from Paris, or 33° 50′ east from London. El Queribyn is dependent on Sennaar; and the inhabitants, being assured that no injury would be inflicted on them, remained in their huts, of which the annexed drawing, says the author, exhibits a correct representation.

Proceeding still towards the south, though verging occasionally in an eastern direction, the troops under Ishmael pursued their march into Fazoglo. Envoys had previously arrived from the melek of that country, expressing his readiness to submit to the Pasha of Egypt; suggesting at the same time that his arms might be successfully employed against the unbelieving pagans who inhabit the neighbouring mountains. This hint coincided but too closely with the main object of the general, which was to capture the natives and send them to the lower provinces as slaves, or to find employment for them in the gold mines said to abound in their rocky frontier. An attack on the defenceless Caffres soon followed, attended with very revolting circumstances. About seventy prisoners, chiefly women, crowned the first attempt of the Turks against that simple race, who were entirely ignorant of the use of firearms.

Advancing to Kilgou, a village situated on a hill, Ishmael gave orders to attack it with such impetuosity as would preclude either escape or defence. His instructions were executed with the utmost promptitude; the rocks were