EEPAIRS — ANOTHER ACCIDENT — THE DOCTORS ARRIVE. 85 
was hailed by the reis of the doctors^ boat to heave to^ they having 
met with a disaster. 
Sunday 2^rd . — At dawn heard the partieulars of the accident. 
It occurred at noon the day previous. A terrific gust of wind blew ; 
the sheet was not let go in time^ and away went the mast and 
yard. The boat_, deeply laden^ staggered so that it^was thought 
she would go down : the soldiers sprang upon the slight roof of the 
temporary cabin to save their clothing, when down it went with a 
crash. The doctors and Carlo had a narrow escape. At the moment 
the mast went overboard they rushed from the cabin : the angeribs 
on which they had been seated, and boxes, were broken. Soon after 
sunrise we left Wallad Shellai, towing the disabled boat. The don- 
keys were put on shore, to proceed by land to Hellat il Donagla, 
where the boat was to be repaired. The wind blew hard, but we 
continued under canvas, and made good way. All were on the alert. 
When a gust comes, the man at the wheel cries out khales which 
means all clear ; those who hold the sheets reply, zey’lmoya ” 
(^‘'smooth as water and when the reis sings out saib’’ let go^^), 
the sheets are eased. On the west shore was the province of Kordo- 
fan : on the bank were large herds of cattle belonging to the Has- 
saneyeh. A ferry boat with ten of these people paddled towards 
us : some stood up, with spears in their hands. They wore a cloth 
round the loins, and their hair was thick, and in many plaits turned 
back from the forehead. A picturesque mountain, with seven or eight 
peaks, called Djebel Arashkol, rose on the west ; groves of mimosa 
were at its foot. Almost in the centre of the river were three 
barren islands ; a few stumps of lifeless trees only to be seen. 
At one o^ clock sailed close by the island of Shebasha, cleared 
for cultivation. At three p.m. passed the island of Debasi, which 
