TO GRAND CAIRO. 40 
water, over a bank, into a canal near the river, chap. 
... II 
The regular continuance of their motion gives '- ■■ 
them, at a distance, the appearance of automa- 
ton figures, rather than of living beings. They 
work stark naked, exposed to the sun s most 
powerful rays, during the whole day ; repeating 
one of their Arabian songs : for they seem to 
have a peculiar air adapted to every labour. 
As to their summer clothing, when they wear 
any, it consists only of a blue cotton shirt, 
girded by a belt round the waist. The Avals 
whom we saw occasionally near the river, whe- 
ther alone or in company, made their appear- 
ance without any kind of covering. Sometimes 
they were seen in parties of ten or twelve at a 
time, walking together, young and old, as naked 
as they were born, without seeming sensible of 
any indecency in their appearance. 
Fahrenheit's thermometer, observed in the 
shade, this day at noon, indicated a temperature 
of ninety degrees. Our course, by a very good 
boat-compass, given to us by Captain Clar/iC of 
the Braakel, was at this time south, half east. In 
half an hour, we found it to be east and by north. 
We observed several trees of a very singular 
form : they resembled, by the spreading of their 
boughs, the shape of a fan, and looked, at a 
VOL. v. E 
