The Nile 



" sandal," is attached with wire hawsers to the side 

 of every steamer. This glorified barge carries 

 baggage, troops, the post office, and extra wood 

 when required. Although indispensable, the 

 homely sandal has its drawbacks. It retards 

 progress when steaming against the current, and 

 owing to its presence somewhat of a pande- 

 monium is for ever raging outside one's cabin 

 door. 



Quite soon after leaving Gameiza the river 

 bends backwards and forwards in a series of small 

 S's. And then the fun begins ! The boat has 

 to go faster than the flow of the river so as 

 to keep up steerage way and enable the helm 

 to do its work. For this reason the pace she 

 goes when swishing round the bends is very 

 great, and the method of procedure is as follows : 

 The steamer is directed straight for the bank 

 at the head of the bend and hits it with consider- 

 able force if there is solid ground in front, or 

 runs her nose into a soft sudd bank. In either 

 case you have to hold on tight ! Then the force 

 of the current coming from behind catches the 

 boat in the stern and round she spins like a top, 

 and just before she gets straight again the 

 " reis," or Arab pilot, rings the engine-room bell 

 "full-speed ahead." Occasionally, though, he 

 misjudges his time, letting her pay ofT too far, 

 and has to " stop her " at once. Where the 

 bends are very sharp and sudden the engines lie 



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