194 EGYPTIAN BIRDS 
island of irregular shape, and came to a point 
where I had to cross about ten or fifteen yards of 
water. The island was in the middle of the lake, 
and far away from town or village, and without 
thinking of consequences I took my boots off and 
started to wade across. The first step or two was 
on the shallow shelly shore, but three or four feet 
and I sank into mud, and as at each step I lifted 
my feet I let loose ten thousand legions of ancient 
stinks, the water bubbled and fizzled with them, 
and even slimy, blear-eyed, unwholesome fish slunk 
hurriedly away. Reaching the other side, I looked 
for some clean water to wash my feet, and did so; 
but it was awkward, as I had to hold my boots and 
socks in one hand and my nose in the other; 
but wash as I would the atrocious smell would not 
go, and I declined to put those evil-smelling things 
into my boots, and I couldn’t take my feet off; so 
there I was—the whole island was a swamp, couldn’t 
sit down anywhere, all puddles and wet, and the 
more I dabbled and washed the more it seemed 
to stir up new combinations of flavours never before 
conceived. So I shouted and shouted, and at last 
one of the crew heard, and brought out the small 
boat and rescued me; most mercifully I had car- 
bolic soap with me, and so managed to at last 
