excepting some of the islands, which contained good ground, and a few
spots on the shores, where the floods of the river had deposited some
fertile soil. The rocks by the shore presented indications which proved
that the river had risen in some of its floods about twenty feet above
its present level. Ostriches are not unfrequently seen hereabouts. We
have met with no ruins of any ancient building of consequence on these
rapids, except the ruins of a strong fort on the right bank of the
river, and those of what was probably a Christian Monastery on the bank
right opposite. This place, I was told, is called "Kennis;" it is
about thirty miles above Meroe.[25] We passed one small island, which the
natives said was called also Meroe, as well as the site where we found
the pyramids and temple below. No indications of a considerable city are
however to be found on this island, which is beside too small to have
served for the emplacement of a city of consequence. Khalil Aga, who
swam over to this island, reported that he had seen there the ruins of
brick houses, and many fragments of porcelain; of the latter there
are immense quantities among all the ruined edifices found in this
country.[26] The island of "Kendi" is large, and in some parts cultivated;
it contains evident traces of brick buildings, among which we found
fragments of ancient pottery and porcelain, but no ruins of any
considerable building.

We stayed for three days as high up as the middle of the island of
Kendi. On the 6th of Jamisalawal the boats received orders to descend to
the lower end of the island, in order to take the passage on its right
hand side, that on the left being so shallow as not to be passed but
with great difficulty. We descended accordingly, and remained at
its lower extremity till the thirteenth of the moon, which delay was
occasioned by the absence of the Rais Bashi, who had gone up to examine
and sound the passages through the remainder of the Third Cataract. On