22 JOURNEY IN CENTRAL AFRICA.

astonished than we, for the bargain had been made by a third

party, and I believe he bore us a grudge during the rest of the voyage. The contract placed the boat at our disposition ; so

we went on board immediately, bade adieu to the kind friends

who had accompanied us, and were rowed down the Canal in

the full glow of African moonlight.

Some account of our vessel and crew will not be out of

place here. The boat was about thirty-five feet in length, with

a short upright mast in the bow, supporting a lateen sail fifty

feet long. Against the mast stood a square wooden box, lined

with clay, which served as a fireplace for cooking. The mid-

dle boards of the deck were loose and allowed entrance to the

hold, where our baggage was stowed. The sailors also lifted

them and sat on the cross-beams, with their feet on the shal-

low keel, when they used the oars. The cabin, which occu

pied the stern of the boat, was built above and below the deck,

so that after stepping down into it we could stand upright. The first compartment contained two broad benches, with a

smaller chamber in the rear, allowing just enough room, in all,

for three persons to sleep. "We spread our mats on the boards, placed carpet-bags for pillows (first taking out the books), and our beds were made. Ibrahim slept on the deck,

against the cabin-door.

Our rais, or captain, was an old Arab, with a black, wrink-

led face, a grizzly beard and a tattered blue robe. There were

five sailors — one with crooked eyes, one with a moustache, two

copper-colored Fellahs, and one tall Nubian, black as the Egyptian darkness. The three latter were our favorites, and more cheerful and faithful creatures I never saw. One of the

Fellahs sang nasal love-songs the whole day long, and was al-