502 STRANDED AMONG CATARACTS . [chap. xix. 
hip-deep about forty yards up the stream upon the 
sand-bank. 
Thus secured, I ordered the crew to haul upon the 
cable. The great force of the current bearing upon 
the broadside of the vessel, while her head was an¬ 
chored up stream, bore her gradually round. All hands 
were now employed in clearing away the sand, and 
deepening a passage : loosening the sand with their 
hands and feet, the powerful rapids carried it away. 
For five hours we remained in this position, the boat 
cracking and half filled with water : however, we 
stopped the leak caused by the strain upon her 
timbers, and having, after much labour, cleared a 
channel in the narrow sand-bank, the moment arrived 
to slip the cable, hoist the sail, and trust to the heavy 
gale of wind from the west to clear the rocks, that lay 
within a few yards of us to the north. “ Let go !” and, 
all being prepared, the sail was loosened, and filling 
in the strong gale with a loud report, the head of the 
vessel swung round with the force of wind and stream. 
Away we flew !—for an instant we grated on some 
hard substance : we stood upon the deck, watching the 
rocks exactly before us, with the rapids roaring loudly 
around our boat as she rushed upon what looked like 
certain destruction. Another moment, and we passed 
within a few inches of the rocks within the boiling 
surf. Hurrah, we are all right! We swept by the 
danger, and flew along the rapids, hurrying towards 
old England. 
We arrived at Berber, the spot from which we had 
started upwards of four years ago for our Atbara ex¬ 
pedition. Here we were most hospitably received by 
Monsieur and Madame Laffargue, a French gentle¬ 
man and his charming wife, who had for many years 
been residents in the Soudan. It is with feelings of 
gratitude that I express my thanks to all Frenchmen 
that I have met in those wild countries, for courtesies 
and attentions, that were appreciated by me like un¬ 
expected flowers in a desert. I can only hope that 
