THE STAKT. 17 



.weigh anchor and row out into the stream on onr way down 

 to Damietta. The crew sing loudly to a monotonous tune, 

 accompanied by the darabouca, or native drum, while, they 

 keep time to the rowing of the oars, concluding each stanza 

 or verse with a long-drawn shout ; the dragoman meanwhile 

 busies himself firing oft' his gun as fast as he can, which is 

 his mode of saluting such towns or dahabeahs as we pass. 

 Indeed a di'agoman or any other native never misses an 

 opportunity of making a noise when he has the chance. But 

 upon this occasion our dragoman was not fortunate ; for on 

 ramming down a large piece of paper over the powder, the 

 ramrod got fixed in the rusty barrel, which had probably 

 not been cleaned since his last trip, and now, his native 

 cautiousness coming to the fore, he calls up one of the 

 servants to fire off' his gun while he gets out of the way for 

 fear of its bursting : the old weapon, however, stands the 

 trial ; and the servant, wishing to do all honour to the town, 

 discharges the piece in that direction, and sends the ramrod 

 flying — heaven knows where. 



We have great satisfaction in feeling that we have begun 

 the boat-trip, and that aU our troubles in selecting a dragoman 

 and bargaining are over for a time ; and as our new home 

 is clean and comfortable, with all our household gods around 

 us and every one anxious to please, we feel how thoroughly 

 enjoyable the life on our boat is, as we sit on deck under 

 the cloudless heavens sparkling with innumerable stars, and 

 watch the dark outline of the great city of the East which 

 we are fast leaving behind us, while the crescent-shaped 

 moon is rising over the mountains of the Mokattam. The 

 nights, however, are chilly up to the end of February; so 



c 



