A pilgrimage to the temples and tombs of Egypt, Nubia, and ...

NUBIAN SCENERY. 185
to surpass that of Egypt. On the 5th the scenery
on each side of the Nile began to assume a very
picturesque appearance—mountainous and almost
Alpine in its character to the east ; on the oppo-
site bank, the eternal desert, whose golden sands
there form themselves into all sorts of fantastic
mamelons ; and the river's edge on either side
fringed with the castor oil-plant, and the prickly
mimosa upon which the patient camel browses
with delight. Long plantations of date and doum
palms tower above, the fruit of which forms all
the riches, and the chief sustenance of the poor
Nubians, among whom bread is an unknown
luxury. Every now and then we stopped at
some wretched village for milk, eggs, and poultry
but how in a country so destitute of resource,
Mohammed contrives to maintain the Commissa-
riat as he does, is a matter of astonishment to me.
Not only do we want for nothing, but he even
manages to surprise us with little luxuries pre-
pared by his own hand, in the shape of European
confectionery, which he has learned to make in
the course of his travels, and which are beyond
the scope of Hadgee INIustapha's Oriental science.
On the evening of the 6tli we reached Korosko
and anchored for the night. The river there
turns short to the west as far as Derr, the capital
;