ABSTRACT
Father brèvedent wrote from Sannaar. His letter is dated 15 February 1699; I believe it is the only one received from him. In it he gives an account of his journey. He says that they set out from Cantara (on the banks of the Nile) the second of October; that they spent five days in crossing the desert that begins at that spot; that they found no water until they came within a day’s march of Helaone, which is a large village inhabited by Turks, 2 commanded by a Chaik who has thirty other small villages under his control; that they took two days over the journey from Helaone to Chab, and three more from Chab to Selime. At that point one enters a frightful desert, where one sees not even a fly, and the way is marked by the carcases of camels that have perished during the transit. Camels are the only animals capable of sustaining the fatigue of such a journey; and an old man in the caravan (who was a brother of the Abuna) assured De Brèvedent that in the caravans that go to the West from the banks of the Nile the camels went forty days without food, because during that time they found no water, and without drinking they could not eat. On emerging from this desert the travellers reached Machou, where they stayed for a while to recover from the fatigue of that long and painful march. At that place the men and women go unclothed, save for a kind of handkerchief to cover their nakedness. The women have no headdress except their own hair braided. The principal men carry a sword hung from the left arm and a spear in the right hand. The houses are merely huts built of mud and covered with the stalks of dora, a grain from which they make a bread, very bitter in taste, and also a drink which is very inebriating. This country breeds excellent horses, and is governed by a Cheik. Near Machou is the island of Argo, which has its own Governor or Abab. Poncet gave some medicines to the Cheik and the Governor, and cured several persons. The Nile is bordered by many houses in that 167locality. A day’s journey from Machou (or Moscho) lies the village of Harib. The caravan arrived on 13 November at Dongola, the ruler of which calls himself Sultan, King, or Malek (corruptly pronounced Mek). Nevertheless, he depends absolutely upon the King of Sannaar, who appoints or dismisses him when or how he pleases. The Cheik Gandil desired to regale Poncet and De Brèvedent. He therefore accompanied them to Corty, two days’ journey from Dongola, kept them there for several days, and gave them provisions for their journey across the desert of Bihouda. They left Dongola [Korti?] on 19 January [1699], and on the 23rd reached Derreira, on the Nile, from which river they had swerved to the westwards in order to avoid some rebels who had taken up arms against the King of Sannaar. On 26 January they quitted Derreira, and two days later they crossed an arm of the Nile. The men were ferried over, while the camels swam across. The same evening they lay at Guelri. From that point they entered a country rather more thickly populated than any they had seen since leaving Upper Egypt. They found there fairly large villages, with roofs shaped like cones or pyramids, on account of the rains. On 6 February they recrossed the river, and slept at Herbagi. There they reposed for two whole days. On the 12th they arrived at Sannaar.
