NUBIA AND THE NILE RAPIDS. 38l 



the wild surge, and dragging the heavy rope behind him seeks to gain 

 a rock which rises above the raging waves some little distance ahead. 

 The waves hurl him back, cover and overwhelm him, but he con- 

 tinues his efforts, until it becomes plain that he must yield to the 

 superior force of the stream. He gives up the struggle and is pulled 

 by the rope back to the boat. Again the whirling waves, so strong 

 to destroy, play with the frail structure which ventures to oppose 

 them; and at last the wind gives the victory to the boat. But sud- 

 denly a portentous crash is heard; the steersman loses his footing 

 and is projected into the stream; the boat has struck on one of 

 the hidden rocks. With the utmost speed one of the crew gets 

 hold of the rudder, a second throws a rope and a bladder to the 

 struggling steersman, and without a moment's delay the rest jump 

 into the hold, and with hammer, chisel, and tow seek to repair the 

 leak which they are sure to find. The man at the rudder endeavours 

 to save the vessel from further mischance; the drenched steersman 

 clambers up with an "El hamdi lillahi!" or "Thank God!" more 

 grumbling than grateful; the rest hammer and plug the gaping 

 leak, one even surrendering his shirt to eke out the scanty tow. 

 Once more the boat sails through whirl and wave, rocking, creak- 

 ing, groaning like a storm-tossed ship; once more it reaches the 

 rapids; once more it is arrested between wind and current. Two 

 sailors spring overboard at once, and, fighting against the stream 

 with all their strength, at last succeed in gaining the rock. They 

 surround it with one end of the rope and signal to the others to 

 pull the boat up. This done, the vessel is moored to the rock, and 

 there it hangs in the midst of the wild rush of waters, rocking so 

 violently and continuously that it causes nausea. A second boat 

 draws near and asks for assistance. A rope is floated down on a 

 bladder, and thus time and trouble are saved. Soon the second 

 also reaches the rock, a third follows, and a fourth, and all dance up 

 and down together in the tumult. And now the united strength of 

 the crews is sufficient to effect a successful passage. One of the boats 

 is manned with double the normal crew; the other boatmen swim, 

 and wade, and climb, dragging the rope to another rock further 

 ahead, and, with all the help that the sail can give, one boat after 



