Travels in Turkey, Asia Minor, Syria, and across the desert into Egypt ...

l60 TRAVELS IN ASIATIC TURKEY,
Having taken our breakfast with General Baird, we proceeded to
Join the boats at the village of Ilammet. In the course of the
preceding evening the weather had been stormy, with much thun-
der and rain ; but the morning was fine, the wind fallen, and the
sky overspread with light clouds, to shield us from the scorching
rays of the sun. At half past eight o'clock we entered our boat,
which, as it was unprovided with a sail, was attached to a germ,
to be in this way towed up to Cairo, the boatmen declaring,
that
in consequence of the strength of the current which set in against
us, it would require at least a month to accomplish their object
with oars.
We had laid in a stock of provisions for three or four days,
and
had to felicitate ourselves on this provident supply, since, on our
arrival at Foua, at five in the afternoon, the boatmen declared that
they could proceed no further until the next morning, on account
of the scantiness of the wind, which would not enable them to
stem the current. It was in vain for us to expostulate; and we sub-
mitted to the necessity, however painful it was, of passing the
night at Foua in our boat.
Wc were up betimes on the morning of the 20th, but were de-
tained by the calms until half past eight o'clock, when a light
breeze springing up, we obliged the boatmen to proceed, in spite
of the reluctance they still manifested. The wind freshening, and
becoming more favourable in the course of the day. we prosecuted
our voyage until the following morning, when we reached Boulac
at one o'clock. We remained there until six, at which time we
passed through the bridge of boats at fort Ibrahim, and at eight
o'clock reached Cassan Bey. Whatever satisfaction we might
feel on finding ourselves once more at Cairo, to which place we
were now become attached by a residence of a considerable dura-
tion, we had every reason to be well satisfied with the pleasurable
excursion we had made.
I shall iollow up this little tour by seme details relative to Cairo,
its inhabitants, and the country by which it is surrounded ; and
shall then proceed to the recital of the events which occurred in
Egypt, subsequently to the last date of my narrative.