314 TRAVELS IN UPPER 



by my disguise, I passed through the middle of 

 them without attracting their attention. Leaving 

 Cairo on the right, I proceeded to Boulac, in the 

 expectation of finding a boat to convey me to 

 B-Ossetta; but they had all been retained for the 

 service of the army. I fell in with a reis however, 

 the same who brought me from Rossetla. He had 

 left his kanja at Be'issous^ a village below RouJaCj 

 being apprehensive that it would have been taken 

 from him. We travelled by land as far as SchoubiUj 

 another village between Boulac and BeissouSj and 

 departed thence in a small shallop to join the boat. 



We quilted Belssous on the 6th September, at 

 eight o'clock in the evening, by the unclouded 

 light of the moon. It was something new to us to 

 enjoy tranquillity again, after having been deprived 

 of it for so manv months. We were no longer 

 torn with the deep anxiety which never ceased to 

 prey upon our minds during our journey through 

 the Said. There were, it is true, several pirates of 

 the Nile in these latitudes also ; but besides the 

 smallncss of their number, they were exceedingly 

 thnorous, and hardly ever ventured to attack vessels 

 when they suspected Europeans were on board, 

 being apprehensive of their lire- arms. The masters 

 of the boats, accustomed to navigate for the com- 

 merce of Europe, were in general persons worthy of 

 confidence ; and the waters of the river, uncon£ned 



by 



