40 EASTERN ETHIOPIA iii 



The thick stem of tlie papyrus is useful to the natives 

 for making rafts and canoes. The Kavirondo fisher- 

 men on tlie Victoria Nyanza use the stems for making 

 seines, and the leaves they weave into Itaskets. 



The old Egyptians used the papyrus stems for making- 

 rafts, and in the wall sculptures men are represented 

 constructing such rafts. It is probable that the little 

 ark of bulrushes daubed with " slime and with pitch," 

 wliicli sheltered the infant Moses in " the flags l)y the 

 river's Inink " (Ex. ii. 3), was made of papyrus stalks. 



