Z']S TRAVELS IN UPPER 



upon the shore, llie sailors of my boat frequenlly 

 entreated me to desist. 



I had discharged the kanja which brought me 

 to Tahta. To prosecute my journey, I waited 

 till some boat should touch in the neighbourhood. 

 I had been informed that there was one at Scheick 

 Zmieldd'm, a small village on the banks of the 

 !Nile, and a little below Tahta. I proceeded thi- 

 ther, and I confess I v/as a little alarmed when I 

 beheld the disposition of the machine on which I 

 was about to embark ; it was one of those large 

 vessels which they call masch : its lading was com 

 for the supply of Cairo, but it was so full that it 

 lay even with tlie water's edge, and in order 

 to prevent the entrance of the water, they had 

 erected on the gunwale a bastion of fascines 

 and of mud. If a journey by land had been 

 practicable, I should have taken good care how I 

 set foot in a vessel, the arrangement of which 

 was only suited to persons who had nothing to 

 lose, or to such as possessed uncommon facility 

 in swimming. Bui the whole country was a 

 scene of tumult, and no person dared venture to 

 travel through it. I departed then, on the 6th 

 of August, in this vessel ; its lading, already so 

 heavy, was farther increased by a great quantity 

 of men and of sheep, which they stowed even on 

 the top of the corn. 



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