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

180 SUCCESS.
crew on board, beaded by Mohammed, who never
quitted her, and toiled like a slave in aiding the
manoeuvres. At last, at the moment the Swift
was about to emerge from the last rapid, she
bore down so closely upon a projecting corner
of rock round which she was to be tracked, as
almost to get her head entangled there. The
moment was a dreadful one, for we looked upon
her as lost ; but the presence of mind of Reis
Hassan, so truly admirable in that critical mo-
ment, saved her. He flew to the stern of the
boat and fastened a rope there, then taking the
extremity of it between his teeth, he sprang
into the torrent, and swam to one of the rocks
which were immediately behind the boat, and mak-
ing it fast there, established a tension on the stern
similar to that on the head. Then causing the head-
rope to be immediately slackened, the operation of
the pull upon the stern-rope w^as to extricate the
Dahabieh's prow from the rock-, and that accom-
plished, a strenuous pull from the shore caused her
to shoot forward and clear the corner, and she
rode triumphantly into smooth water. Such a
cheer as burst forth from all hands ! We hastened
down from our elevated position to that part of
the shore nearest to the boat, and were there met
by the two Reis's and Mohammed, who grasped