290 TRAVELS tM UP^ER. 



it was pierced for the reception of cannon, was 

 capable of containing an immense cargo for a 

 river: there were on hoard two thousand five 

 hundred bags of corn, weighing about two hun- 

 dred and fifty tons, besides a quantity of bales 

 shipped by private hands, at least a hundred men, 

 and several head of cattle. On the stern they had 

 erected three beautiful apartments, one of which 

 was much larger than the great cabin of the Ata- 

 lanta frigate. That on the poop was the most plea- 

 sant, and this the Aga had appropriated to my use. 



I embarked on board this vessel on the evening of 

 the 24th August. Several dragon-fiies* , of a purple 

 colour, flew about the banks of the river, while 

 swarms of gnats and water-spinners, as night ap- 

 proached, tormented us with their number and 

 their stings. 



All night long the wind blew strong and cold 

 from the north. I have read somewhere that no 

 wind is ever felt on the Nile ; it is a palpable 

 mistake, for high winds frequently blow there, 

 which swell into tempests and hurricanes dan- 

 gerous to navigation. 



On the 25th, at daybreak, the vessel was put in 

 motion, but it did not long continue so ; they 

 halted again about two hundred fathoms below 



* Libellula, Lia. 



Manfelout^ 



