270 EXTRACTS FROM 
of Cranes, Storks, Spoonbills, Grey Herons, Pelicans, Egyp- 
tian Geese, and various kinds of Ducks enliven the scene. 
From every steamer and every dahabeeyah the Europeans 
shoot at the waterfowl, which are here in their winter-quarters, 
the result being that one cannot count on any sport from the 
deck, for at the approach of a vessel the shy birds rise a long 
way off. 
We now passed the little town of Abu Tig, where the 
mountains recede and leave room for a well-tilled plain ; but 
soon afterwards the high Gebel-Sheikh-Hatide, hollowed out 
with ancient quarries and tombs, comes forward again to the 
edge of the stream. 
There our steamer stopped, and a boat came off to her, and 
on my asking what this meant, I learnt, to my no small sur- 
prise, that in a high watch-tower above the Nile there dwells 
among these barren hills a holy man, a so-called Sheikh, 
who claims a toll, and that the vessel which ignores his 
demands is, according to popular belief, almost certain to be 
wrecked on its journey, but that the honest man who pays will 
be followed by the devout prayers of this saintly beggar. 
There now appeared in pretty quick succession the villages 
of Tahtah, Faubas, Schidawin, and the large and charmingly- 
situated town of Sohag, with its picturesque houses and 
minarets. 
One lovely scene followed another ; splendid mountains 
with abrupt cliffs slipped past and gave place to luxuriant 
palm-forests and gaily coloured towns. We sat comfortably 
on deck, smoking, chatting, or reading, while enjoying the 
balmy perfumes of the African vegetation and the pure air, 
which on the river was not too hot, and now and then firing 
a rifle-shot at the distant waterfowl, but almost invariably 
without suecess—an indolent existence, but interesting and 
instructive withal. 
We spent one night at the large and prosperous town of 
