52 AFRICAN CAMP FIRES. 



back into the ghostly white unsubstantiality 

 of the moon. They were long, narrow boats, 

 with small flush decks fore and aft. We looked 

 down on them from almost directly above, so 

 that we saw the thwarts and the ribs and the 

 things they contained. 



Astern in each stood men, bending gracefully 

 against the thrust of long sweeps. About their 

 waists were squares of cloth, wrapped twice and 

 tucked in. Otherwise they were naked, and the 

 long smooth muscles of their slender bodies 

 rippled under the skin. The latter was of a 

 beautiful fine texture, and chocolate brown. 

 These men had keen, intelligent, clear-cut faces, 

 of the Greek order, as though the statues of a 

 garden had been stained brown and had come 

 to life. They leaned on their sweeps, thrust- 

 ing slowly but strongly against the little wind 

 and current that would drift them back. 



In the body of the boats crouched, sat, or lay a 

 picturesque mob. Some pulled spasmodically on 

 the very long Umber oars ; others squatted do- 

 ing nothing ; some, huddled shapelessly under- 

 neath white cloths that completely covered them, 

 slept soundly in the bottom. We took these for 

 merchandise until one of them suddenly threw 

 aside his covering and sat up. Others, again, 



