16 
TRAVELS IN CENTRAL AFRICA. 
rubber boat, and launching it for the first time. The servants were 
utterly dismayed, and entreated us not to put off from shore ; but 
their remonstrances were not heeded. The banks by this time were 
crowded, and many divested themselves of their scanty clothing, 
prepared to rescue us, so positive were they that a capsize must 
ensue. However, all went well. We were accompanied only by a 
little boy, Achmed, and for two hours remained on the water, 
allowing the current to carry the boat with it, aiid then pulling our 
way back. We had a fishing-line, but made no use of it, as a 
swarm of small fish, the whitebait of the Nile, leaped into the boat. 
They had evidently been pursued by a monster of the deep, and 
took an acrobatic jump to evade him. We counted sixty-three of 
these delicious-eating morsels. At this time there was no need of 
a lamp — we dined by the light of the moon. 
We were greatly plagued by scorpions. They were in all places. 
Open a box, one was sure to be seen capering about ; get up from 
a seat, the chances were you had been sitting on one. Snakes too 
abounded, most of them poisonous. During the day I always had 
a pair of pincers near me, and many specimens of these reptiles I 
had the pleasure of placing in a bath of spirits prepared for their 
reception. 
One day a weird-looking woman, a fortune-teller by profession, 
begged an audience. She was allowed to seat herself on the ground, 
and, throwing a handful of cowrie-shells before her, commenced 
her predictions, all of the brightest. The small sum of money 
given her gave great satisfaction; but she looked with yearning 
eyes towards my sewing apparatus, and begged for a few needles. 
I made up a small parcel, with cotton, &c., and handed them to her. 
She was so delighted, that, taking from her neck a piece of twine 
