On Vessels made of the Papyrus. 



329 



from Armenia to Babylon. Likewise, Belzoni (p. 62.) men- 

 tions crossing to the Island of Elephantine " in the ferry-boat, 



which is made of branches of palm trees, fastened together 



with small cords, and covered on the outside with a mat, 



pitched all over." 



This very simple method of forming a float, SsV/^vj xaAa/xcov, 



is evidently most ancient and primeval, and, at the same time 



perfectly well adapted for passing and repassing rivers, as well 



as for taking short voyages. 



But, after a time, 

 the Egyptian began 

 to improve his art of 

 ship-building, by ty- 

 ing together the ends 

 of the bundles of 

 papyrus, in order to 

 ^ give his vessels some- 

 ^ what the shape of a 

 1^ canoe {Jig, 90.); he 

 then daubed them 

 over with pitch, or 



covered the reeds with skins or mats (^^.91.); his ropes 



he twisted from the 



bark of the same ^' 



plant, and of which 



he made his sails like 



matting. (Jig, 92.) 



These skiffs being so 



light and portable -^ 



were very swift in 



the water, either ^^ 



when impelled by a "^CIZZ^M 



paddle, or by oars, 



or with a fair wind. 



His larger vessels, or ships of burthen, at first had only a 



keel of thorn tree 

 (Mim5sa nilotica), 

 and their sides of 

 the paper reed ; af- 

 terwards, the frame- 

 work altogether con- 

 sisted of that wood, 

 having their joints 

 afnd crevices calked 

 with that plant. Fi- 

 nally, indeed, his fa- 

 vourite reedwassuc- 

 VoL. II. — - No. 9. z 



