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

REIS HASSAN. 179
crowns his shaven head, floating like a horse-tail
in the wind, he had, from the commencement,
held himself prepared not merely to direct by
his judgment the evolutions of his men, but to
enforce by his example any personal risk that might
be required of them. I never saw anything finer
or, I will even say, more terrifically striking than
the appearance of this man, wound up to a state
of excitement which betrayed itself in the most
fiery and picturesque gestures, in vociferations
which were wonderful even for an Arab, and in
a play of countenance which at times imparted
to him the appearance of a demoniac. He was
here, there, and everywhere ! now
in the bark,
now on a clump of rocks in the rapids, now on
shore pulling with his men at the rope which
impelled the Dahabieh forward. When at mo-
ments the force of the opposing current drove
her backwards, and she was all but dashed up-
on the rocks, Reis Hassan w-ould stoop to the
ground, and gathering a handful of dust, scatter
it before him—the Arab gesture of rage and
imprecation — then, with frantic signs and ex-
clamations, direct either the tightening or the
relaxing of the impelling rope, which would be
answered by a cry from the line of men strain-
ing at it, and either a cheer or a yell from the
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