ADEN 



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, thrusting 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 limber oars; others squatted doing 

 nothing; some, huddled shapelessly underneath 

 white cloths that completely covered them, slept 

 soundly in the bottom. We took these for mer- 

 chandise until one of them suddenly threw aside his 

 covering and sat up. Others again poised in proud 

 and graceful attitudes on the extreme prows of their 

 bobbing craft. Especially decorative were two 

 clad only in immense white turbans and white cloths 

 about the waist. An old Arab with a white beard 

 stood midships in one boat quite motionless except 



43 



