hastily put on board, and within a couple of hours of our appearance at Korosko, we were once more floating down the river in our boat, which, after an absence of two months, we had began to regard as a home. CHAPTER XIV. The Cataracts-Fogs-Keneh-A gang of convictsNile thieves-Domestic merchants-ShadoofsTaxation - Ossioot-The Conscription - Female relations-Coffee shops. ARRIVED at Korosko, we at once made our crew aware that they must make every exertion to reach Cairo as speedily as possible, and that if they really worked hard, they would receive much higher pay for the journey down; and we began by offering them five dollars to reach Assuan in thirty hours. This they accomplished. At nine o'clock, February 1st, we anchored at Philæ. It was a beautiful calm morning, as we left Philæ on our way down to the Cataracts. Not a ripple ruffled the waters, as we glided slowly down from our moorings to the little village of Mahatta, where the cataract authorities were to be taken on board. We turned round to take a last look at the beautiful temples on the "romantic isle," and the grotesque rocks surrounding it. It was an enchanting scene, though we viewed it with different feelings from those on that most pleasant Sunday when we were last there. The sun was just rising behind, the mountains, while a haze rose from the still waters almost hiding the beauteous prospect. The Reis and the pilot came on board just above the Cataracts, and we were struck by the respect and the sympathy in our misfortune which they expressed. : These men immediately took possession of the oars, leaving our own crew at liberty to take care of the boat with their long poles. After rowing most vigorously to the rapids, pulling till they were actually in The kitchen the falls, they dropt their oars. and whole head of the boat were immediately hidden by the surge, which rose like two waves on each side of us, pouring into the boat, and wetting everybody and everything. The prow of the boat rose again and again, pitched, and then giving a swerve, clashed up against the rocks, breaking several oars on that side, and overturning all the men who were at them. In less time than it takes to tell it, all was over, and we were lying quietly against the bank of lupins and beans, where we were detained on our way up, and all the men were employed in baling out the water. In a few hours we arrived at Assuan, where we only stayed to get our letters, and then set off again. Our voyage was as pleasant as it could become under the melancholy circumstances that had preceded it, though for some days our progress was but slow. On the 3rd of February we passed the Temple of Kom-booum, which we beheld from the river in all the glory of its numerous pylons and columns. We found the temperature cool—rather too much so at night. Sometimes the voyage was enlivened by our passing other diabeheehs, containing parties of our countrymen, some bound for one place, some for another, and all apparently intent on enjoying |