156 
TEAVELS IN CENTEAL AFEICA. 
rets had placed under hatches a pan of burning embers, and on 
them a sheep^s tail and the horn of a bullock — a charm, said to 
destroy a serpent. The reis was summoned, and questioned as to 
who had seen the serpent. He replied, no person had seen it, but 
one must be there, as the daliabyeh heeled to one side so much ; and 
a serpent was heavy from the sins of our forefathers, and could 
weigh down a boat.^^ It was no use to tell him that, from the 
constant shifting of the cargo, and its perhaps not having been 
properly replaced, was sufficient reason for the dahabyeh’ s heeling ; 
so, the bullock^s horn was burnt and the sheep^s tail frizzled ; 
but, when an opportunity presents itself, Petherick will see that 
the cargo is properly arranged. 
We have, too, devout believers in another superstition. In Sur 
KattTs boat is Abderaehman and his two Neam Neam wives. He 
has a whistle made of the root of a particular tree, and this, if 
sounded, is said to keep off the rain. Constantly this is brought 
into requisition. We can often hear him piping when their boat 
draws near the ‘^‘^Lady of the Nile but he is careful, if a fall of 
rain is evident to make some excuse for not whistling ; when well 
convinced there will be no rain, he gratifies his admiring listeners 
by his performance. This whistle he with great difficulty procured 
from a rainprophet of the Neam Neams. 
June loth . — A grand breeze during the last night, and good way 
was made. The river wide, and not a village to be seen on either 
shore. 
June nth. — Early in the morning the men were conveying the 
line in the felucca to the reeds, the wind having abated, when sud- 
denly it rose, and, our sails being unfurled, away shot the Lady 
