DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5295#0057
38 TRAVELS IN EGYPT, NUBIA,
My crew consisted of the Rais, five men, and a boy, the
youngest son of the Rais. We proceeded up the river, when
the wind served, by sailing; when it failed, the crew towed ;
when it was contrary, we moored. The river was at its
lowest, the season of the year the hottest; and I was exposed
to the Kamseen winds, which at times blew with a heat of
108 Farenheit in the shade, and even close to the river seem-
ed to affect all animal life*.
I had often occasion to notice the activity of the boatmen
in lifting the boat from the shallows of the river, by which
the course was constantly impeded ; and was surprised that
men, who at other times were all apathy and indolence,
seemed to think nothing of exerting their bodily strength in
a manner that few Europeans would be inclined to attempt.
The scenery of the Nile is too regularly uniform to please
for a continuation ; but my first outset from Boolac left
agreeable impressions on my mind. The banks of the Nile,
as far as Gizeh, were covered with houses and trees : different
islands intercepted the stream : Rauda seemed a large gar-
den : the ruins of the Nilometer appeared close to a pic-
turesque harem of the Pasha: the pyramids of Gizeh and
* Volney gives a lively and faithful description of the effect of these winds, in
his Travels, p. 56, 3d edit. English translation, 8vo.
My crew consisted of the Rais, five men, and a boy, the
youngest son of the Rais. We proceeded up the river, when
the wind served, by sailing; when it failed, the crew towed ;
when it was contrary, we moored. The river was at its
lowest, the season of the year the hottest; and I was exposed
to the Kamseen winds, which at times blew with a heat of
108 Farenheit in the shade, and even close to the river seem-
ed to affect all animal life*.
I had often occasion to notice the activity of the boatmen
in lifting the boat from the shallows of the river, by which
the course was constantly impeded ; and was surprised that
men, who at other times were all apathy and indolence,
seemed to think nothing of exerting their bodily strength in
a manner that few Europeans would be inclined to attempt.
The scenery of the Nile is too regularly uniform to please
for a continuation ; but my first outset from Boolac left
agreeable impressions on my mind. The banks of the Nile,
as far as Gizeh, were covered with houses and trees : different
islands intercepted the stream : Rauda seemed a large gar-
den : the ruins of the Nilometer appeared close to a pic-
turesque harem of the Pasha: the pyramids of Gizeh and
* Volney gives a lively and faithful description of the effect of these winds, in
his Travels, p. 56, 3d edit. English translation, 8vo.