ARAB BOATS' CREWS.

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victuals, and sleep. The steersman is perched aloft on your after-cabin. My own crew, including the reis, or captain, amounted to six men; that of Monro, my only companion up the river, consisted of the same number. We agreed, on leaving Cairo, to keep near each other by day, to make our excursions on land in company, and to moor our boats together at night; an arrangement which, during a voyage of many months, was scarcely ever interrupted. And this, in my opinion, is by far the most agreeable mode of travelling in Egypt, uniting perfect freedom and independence with the pleasures of society; as often, at least, as a travelling companion can be found possessing all the social qualities, the learning and good sense which I met with in Monro. Fortunately, too, my dragoman, Suleiman, who, having performed the pilgrimage to Mekka, enjoyed the respected title of Hajji, or pilgrim, was, among persons of his class, a superior man, intelligent, active, and honest; and, if he required higher wages than are generally given, he deserved them.

CII. The habit of travelling is soon formed. I had been but a short time in Cairo, before I again longed to be in motion; and now felt, in bidding it adieu, and in the hope of beholding new scenes, a thrill of pleasure which it would be difficult to describe. Besides, the waters of the Nile were every day sinking rapidly, and it was to be feared, if we delayed our departure much longer, that there might be considerable difficulty in passing the cataracts.

168

DEPARTURE FROM BOOLAK.

Thebes, too, and the vast wilds of Nubia were before us; and, having seen the Pyramids, nothing in the neighbourhood of Cairo appeared worthy to detain us any longer.

CIII. The view, immediately on departing from Boolak, is interesting and animated; but, unfortunately, the sky was to-day overcast. There was not, however, even at starting, wind enough to fill our sails, and it soon died totally away. The Arabs then took to their oars, and, like the old Venetian gondoliers, lightened their labours with a song, the notes of which were not unpleasing. These poor people, though rough and savage in aspect, appeared to be exceedingly gay and good-humoured, singing and laughing continually. Like all other persons accustomed to constant vicissitudes, they are careless, neglecting to look beyond the present moment; and if you smile upon them, and seem contented, they are capable of making very great exertions to oblige you.

CIV. Just as we were passing the southern point of the island of Rhoudah and the Tower of the Nilometer, the sounds of very agreeable music came floating across the Nile from the palace of Halim Bey, which, mingling with the songs of my merry vocal

crew, had a highly pleasing effect. Opposite to Old Cairo (Masr el Atikeh) the captain of the port, observing two boats without flags proceeding up the river, came out in his barge to examine them; but, on being informed that they belonged to Englishmen,

FOOD OF THE ARABS.

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politely abstained from coming on board. The Pasha, indeed, has issued general orders that no kind of obstruction is to be offered to travellers, whether by the custom-house officers or any of the civil or military authorities whatsoever. Our servants, aware of this, and proud of British protection, replied to the civil interrogatories of the Turk in a rather saucy manner; but it was not taken amiss. We cautioned them, however, against adopting a similar tone on such occasions for the future.

CV. We moored, shortly after sunset, close to the western bank, there being no wind, and it being very wisely ordered by the Pasha that the boatmen shall not be compelled to track after dark. As soon as the kandjia was made fast to the land by a short pole driven into the earth, which served instead of an anchor, the hajji and the boat's crew kindled their fires, which are made in small portable furnaces on the lee side of the deck, and began their cooking operations. The ordinary repast of the Arabs consists of lentil soup and bread: animal food is generally beyond their reach. Their constant beverage is Nile water. Yet, upon this coarse and simple fare, they are hale, athletic, active, like the Irish; which shows how little the necessities of nature require. We spent the evening in my cabin, comparing the reasonings of Bruce, Shaw, Pococke, Clarke, and other travellers, on the site of Memphis; and in examining Volney's ideas on the general appearance of the country, which he greatly undervalues. The barking

170

CABIN OF THE KANDJIA.

of the village dogs was heard on the shore until a late hour, and as I sat writing, long after my guest had retired, I was now and then startled by the shrill scream of some aquatic bird on the river. Nothing could be more comfortable than such a cabin. A narrow divan, which served as a sofa by day and as a bed by night, occupied one side of it; my books, maps, and papers, the other; and, the whole being finally matted, my pipes, coffee, dinner or writing apparatus, as the case required, were laid out in the centre. Those who carry fowling-pieces place them loaded by their bedsides; and I, who had no such weapon, usually slept with a pair of pistols under my pillow.

Tuesday, Dec. 11. Shook.

CVI. The mosquitoes, to escape from which the old Egyptians sometimes slept on the tops of lofty towers, were so exceedingly active during the preceding night, that, what with their troublesome attentions, the squeaking of the mice and rats, and the loud talking of the two Arabs, watching on deck, who knew no other means of keeping themselves awake, I was fain to pass a great many hours in meditation. The moon rose rather early, and its light, entering at every crevice, and mingling with that of the glimmering lamp, which I had left burning, gave a wild kind of aspect to the cabin. A short time before daylight the wind, which had blown but faintly all night, began to increase in strength, though, coming from the south, it was perfectly contrary. At

dawn, therefore, when I desired the reis to proceed, a number of men were sent on shore to track; that is, to draw along the boat by a cord, as horses draw coal barges, &c. in England. From paintings in the sepulchral grottoes of Eilithyias, and in the tombs of the Kings at Gournou, we learn that this practice has prevailed from time immemorial upon the Nile; and one of my boat's crew, who accompanied me to the above grottoes, supposing that the paintings he there saw represented the scenes which take place in Hades, exclaimed in a melancholy voice-"Ah, see! the poor Arabs are compelled to track, even in the other world!" In some places the water, for a considerable distance from the shore, is so shallow that even these light barks find not enough to float them; in which case, the men take to their oars, though but very little way can thus be made against both wind and current. The ropes, oars, sails, and, in fact, all the appointments of a kandjia, are commonly of the most wretched description. This afternoon the towing line of Monro's boat snapped short, as they were trying to make round a small promontory, where the river ran very swift. The kandjia flew off among the whirlpools in a moment, and, having no ballast, was half filled with water before the cord could be repaired. The sky was dark and lowering all the morning, and in the afternoon it rained hard, while the cold was excessive. We passed close to Deir Hhattein, a small town, where a part of the Pasha's forces were encamped, preparatory, I imagine, to their being marched down to the shore,