THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 597
than thofc that were at the ford, and they believe in nothing
that you believe, but only in this river, to which they pray
every day as if it were God ; but this perhaps you may do
likewife." Half undreffed as I was by lofs of my fafli, and
throwing my (hoes off, I ran down the hill towards the little
ifland of green lbds, which was about two hundred yards
dittant ; the whole fide of the hill was thick grown over
with flowers, the large bulbous roots of which appearing
above the furface of the ground, and their (kins coming
off on treading upon them, occafioned two very fevere
falls before I reached the brink of the marfh ; I after this
came to the ifland of green turf, which was in form of
an altar, apparently the work of art, and I flood in rapture
over the principal fountain which rifes in the middle of it.
It is eafier to guefs than to defcribe the fituation of my mind at that moment— Handing in that fpot which had baf- fled the genius, induitry, and inquiry of both ancients and moderns, for the courfe of near three thoufand years. Kings had attempted this difcovery at the head of armies, and each expedition was diflinguifhed from the laft, only by the difference of the numbers which had perifhed, and a- greed alone in the difappointment which had uniformly,.. and without exception, followed them all. Fame, riches, and honour, had been held out for a feries of ages to every individual of thofe myriads thefe princes commanded, with- out having produced one man capable of gratifying the curiofity of his fovereign, or wiping off this flain upon the enterprife and abilities of mankind, or adding this de- fideratum for the encouragement of geography. Though a mere private Briton, I triumphed here, in my own mind, , over kings and their armies; and every comparifon was
leading.
