As we
advance to the north, and reach Abou Harraz, we leave the rainy
zone. When we had left Gallabat, the grass had sprung several
inches, owing to the recent showers; but as we had proceeded
rapidly towards the north, we had entered upon vast dusty plains
devoid of a green blade; the rainy season between Abou Harraz and
Khartoum consisted of mere occasional storms, that, descending
with great violence, quickly passed away. Nothing would be more
simple than to form a succession of weirs across the Rahad and
Dinder, that would enable the entire country to be irrigated at
any season of the year, but there is not an engineering work of
any description throughout Upper Egypt, beyond the sageer or
water-wheel of the Nile. Opposite Abou Harraz, the Blue Nile was
a grand river, about five hundred yards in width; the banks upon
the north side were the usual perpendicular cliffs of alluvial
soil, but perfectly bare of trees; while, on the south, the banks
were ornamented with nabbuk bushes and beautiful palms. The
latter are a peculiar species known by the Arabs as "dolape"
(Borassus AEthiopicus): the stem is long, and of considerable
thickness, but in about the centre of its length it swells to
nearly half its diameter in excess, and after a few feet of extra
thickness it continues its original size to the summit, which is
crowned by a handsome crest of leaves shaped like those of the
palmyra.
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