Chapter XIV: 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.