1^0 TRAVELS IN UP^ER 



There was no time to be lost ; I made my com- 

 panions take the oars, which the darkness pre- 

 vented us from finding so soon as we could have 

 wished ; I sprung to the helm, and, encouraging 

 my new and very inexperienced sailors, we suc- 

 ceeded in making our escape from a repetition of 

 shocks, by which we must all, at length, have 

 inevitably perished ; for scarcely had we gained, 

 after several efforts, the middle of the river, when 

 a piece of hardened mud, of an enormous size, 

 tumbled down at the very spot we had just 

 quitted, and which must, had we been but a few 

 minutes later, have carried us to the bottom. 



We crossed to the opposite shore, where we 

 fastened the boat, as well as we could, waiting 

 till the daylight should discover to us where we 

 were, and enable us io recover our Egyptian 

 sailors. But it was not long before we perceived 

 them ; not seeing the boat, they had thrown them- 

 selves into the river to swim, and had gained the 

 shore in pursuit of it, till they got intelligence 

 respecting our fate. The idea of the dangers to 

 which they had exposed us, was too recent not to 

 procure for them some effects of our resentment ; 

 and I could not prevent my companions from be- 

 labouring them soundly with the very same oars 

 of which they had been obliged to make so un- 

 pleasant 



