A pilgrimage to the temples and tombs of Egypt, Nubia, and ...

THE SWIFT. Ill
The Dahabieh which we have hired at the rate
of three thousand piastres a month (£30), is one
of three boats of the same description, which,
on account of their superior accommodation,
have borne away the palm from all others on
the Nile. Ours, called "The Swift/' belongs
to the English consul, Mr. Walne, and the other
two are the property of Ahmet Pasha, and of
Mr. Page, who, I believe, is connected with the
Transit Company. Travellers who are not so
fortunate as to secure one of these Dahabiehs,
must have recourse to the common boats of the
country, called Cangias, a smaller description of
craft, which, being used for the transport of
grain, slaves, and other merchandize, are all of
them floating colonies of vermin, and necessitate
not only being sunk for two or three days in
the river before they can be entered with im-
punity, but being painted anew, having all their
crevices filled up, and every article of accom-
modation furnished for them ; and all this at
the expense of the party hiring them. But
the three Dahabiehs in question are exclusively
reserved for travellers, and they are carefully '
laid by, painted, and kept scrupulously clean
in the season when there are no tourists on
the Nile. Their price is at least double that