40 EASTERN ETHIOPIA m 



The thick stem of the papyrus is useful to the natives 

 for making rafts and canoes. The Kavirondo fisher- 

 men on the Victoria Nyanza use the stems for making 

 seines, and the leaves they weave into baskets. 



The old Egyptians used the papyrus stems for making 

 rafts, and in the wall sculptures men are represented 

 constructing such rafts. It is probable that the little 

 ark of bulrushes daubed with " slime and with pitch," 

 which sheltered the infant Moses in " the flags by the 

 river's brink" (Ex. ii. 3), was made of papyrus stalks. 



