The Bahr-el-Zeraf 



see the Shabluka just backing out from the land- 

 ing-place. A few blasts on the steam whistle 

 attracted her attention, and she tied up once 

 more, as we had her owner's mails on board. 



Mr. Struve was on the point of leaving for his 

 temporary station, Khor Attar, so I was most 

 fortunate in catching his boat just as she had got 

 under weigh. 



I can imagine nothing nicer for a honeymoon 

 couple on a shooting trip down the Nile than 

 a trip on this boat. You steam where you will, 

 you tie up when it suits you, there is room on the 

 deck for two beds without overcrowding ; outside 

 the indispensable "meat-safe," which is also a 

 comfortable room for two. By the same token, 

 this "meat-safe" is one of the most useful inven- 

 tions of modern times peculiar to the Nile and 

 the steamers thereon. It is nothing less than a 

 mosquito-proof house. Without this one suffers 

 the tortures of the damned. 



Every ship has one, and each station along the 

 banks of the river owns several, as much to keep 

 the mosquitoes from biting one as to prevent bugs 

 and flies from tumbling into one's food. Besides 

 this, the Shabhika has a nice comfortable big 

 cabin with lots of room for two to dress in and 

 escape the icy blasts of January. It can be very 

 chilly indeed on the Nile when the north wind is 

 switched on at this time of the year. 



After thirty-five miles' steaming west of Tau- 



^57 



