The first Cataract of the Nile.
The cataract is an incline of about one hundred feet in length, and
eight or ten feet in depth. The river narrowing just above, precipitates
its immense volume of water down this slope, with prodigious violence,
and with a noise like thunder. The rocks on either hand, washed by the
flood, make the picture more striking, and add to the difficulty and the
danger of the ascent.
Soon after breakfast, a very long and staunch rope was fastened round
the masts of ‘The Fanny,’ and then laid along the rocks as far as it
would go, to be pulled on a concerted signal; a shorter one was laid out
in the same way; and a third was fastened midships, and thrown ashore,
to keep the vessel, on her way up, close to the rocks, as the current
would otherwise drag her into the middle of the stream, when certain
destruction would ensue. This catastrophe nearly happened a few years
ago, when one of the Pasha’s boats got into the rapids, and his
Highness, who was on board, had a narrow escape of his life. From that
time, the greatest precautions have been taken to prevent any similar
occurrence.
Hundreds of people had now assembled on shore to witness the ascent; at
length the boats were manned, and the boat loosed from her moorings. The
cataract pilot seized the helm; the Reis, a fine, hale old man, gave the
word to proceed; and a hundred and thirty men on shore, and about thirty
on deck, hauled away at the ropes. The cataract came thundering down;
the air rang with the cries and shouts of the pullers; the water flew
past in foaming waves, dashing its clouds of spray over the deck; and
the gallant boat held on her way. In a moment more, she bounded against
the bottom; the rushing flood seemed to struggle for the mastery, making
her tremble in every plank. But instantly the old Reis darted overboard,
dived under her stern, and, with a desperate effort, shoved her on. Then
he sprang ashore, struck in among the lazy pullers, who were invoking
help from Allah, and laid about him right and left with a whip. Thus
driven, the men hauled away at the ropes, while those on bread, who
worked with great diligence, kept thrusting planks between the vessel
and the rocks, to prevent her grazing against them. Others ran
alongside, and every now and then plunged into the water, to shove her
off a sunken shoal, or over a shallow. Stronger and stronger became the
torrent; the waves beat more furiously against the boat; the spray and
the foam whirled over her; the roar grew more and more deafening; and
then, with one mighty lift—one lurch forward, she passed the fall, and
floated in smooth water.
The hauling-up occupied sixty-five minutes, though less than half the
number of English sailors would have accomplished it in half the time.
Indeed, ‘The Eagle,’ though a heavier boat, was hoisted up within the
fifty minutes, and moored alongside her consort.
A small island lay between the boats and the shore, and over this the
men brought all our stores and baggage, which, in order to lighten the
vessels, had been taken out below the cataract, and piled up on the
bank. It was really quite exciting to watch them coming across this
romantic spot, bearing every kind of burden, in regular succession, as
if the place were a haunt of pirates or smugglers collecting their
booty. This booty constituted a very miscellaneous assortment; but
barrels of flour and rice, bags of sugar, books and guns, formed, after
all, no bad supply of the munitions of war.
At noon our sails were again loosed, and expanding to the breeze, bore
us steadily on. After proceeding a short distance, we hove-to for a few
minutes, to land the Reis of the cataract, who, as the navigation was
somewhat difficult at first, came with us till we were perfectly clear
of all obstacles. I was much taken with this old man, whom Mr.
Warburton, in his widely-known work, has already introduced so
favourably to the English reader. Having a copy of ‘The Crescent and the
Cross’ at hand, I showed him his portrait, and made Daireh translate
what the Author has said of him, at which, as may be imagined, he was
much gratified. He remembered Mr. Warburton very well, and expressed a
hope that he would soon come to Egypt again, and pay him another visit.
We now entered the narrow channel that washes the banks of Philæ, and as
we sailed past, obtained a charming view of the island, which at
different points, broke upon us like a fresh scene. Then we came on the
wild and desert shores of Nubia, with their battlements and pinnacles of
rock, starting up in every diversity of height and form. At long
intervals, villages of wretched huts crown the heights, or straggle down
to the river; and a few palm-trees or acacias, instead of groves of date
trees, and plantations of the fragrant mimosa, throw a scanty shade
around. The people, too, have changed; and the hardy Nubian, with his
unveiled wife, and dark, chubby children, forms a striking contrast to
the effeminate Egyptian. A fine open countenance, lit up by expressive
eyes, with stalwart limbs, and magnificent proportions, express both his
character and his strength. The Nubians have the same reputation in
Egypt that has been won by the Swiss in Europe, and are distinguished
alike for honesty, courage, and sagacity. The women, tutored only by
nature, have a style and beauty peculiarly their own. Their little blue
dress, which but half veils their forms, is worn with an air almost
classic, and they possess in a high degree the grace of motion. This is
especially apparent in the young girls, whose only attire is a girdle of
leather, thickly hung with beads. The children abandon dress altogether,
though in presence of strangers, they go about very timidly, and can
hardly be tempted to closer acquaintance by any amount of biscuit. When
once their diffidence is overcome, however, they are extremely docile;
indeed, in their conduct, they might teach a lesson to the children of
the polite world. It is a pleasant sight to watch a troop of the little
urchins following their mother or sister from the well, playing merrily
about her, with shouts of mirth and ringing laughter, as she walks
thoughtfully along, bearing on her head a large jar of water, and
displaying in every movement a grace unstudied and unconscious.