summaryrefslogtreecommitdiff
diff options
context:
space:
mode:
authorRoger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org>2025-10-14 19:58:39 -0700
committerRoger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org>2025-10-14 19:58:39 -0700
commitef86fd2c93812edf8afde02421a46ce1843b474e (patch)
treeff494c510512a4e2861f18abe9ef2ad8e52c8ee9
initial commit of ebook 32995HEADmain
-rw-r--r--.gitattributes3
-rw-r--r--32995-h.zipbin0 -> 1364254 bytes
-rw-r--r--32995-h/32995-h.htm1733
-rw-r--r--32995-h/images/front.gifbin0 -> 79140 bytes
-rw-r--r--32995-h/images/front2.gifbin0 -> 2926 bytes
-rw-r--r--32995-h/images/front3.gifbin0 -> 3044 bytes
-rw-r--r--32995-h/images/i006.gifbin0 -> 159256 bytes
-rw-r--r--32995-h/images/i007.gifbin0 -> 4723 bytes
-rw-r--r--32995-h/images/i015a.gifbin0 -> 153203 bytes
-rw-r--r--32995-h/images/i015b.gifbin0 -> 195173 bytes
-rw-r--r--32995-h/images/i020a.gifbin0 -> 117149 bytes
-rw-r--r--32995-h/images/i020b.gifbin0 -> 192462 bytes
-rw-r--r--32995-h/images/i028a.gifbin0 -> 148933 bytes
-rw-r--r--32995-h/images/i028b.gifbin0 -> 132767 bytes
-rw-r--r--32995-h/images/i034.gifbin0 -> 187260 bytes
-rw-r--r--32995-h/images/i049.gifbin0 -> 5467 bytes
-rw-r--r--32995.txt1306
-rw-r--r--32995.zipbin0 -> 28579 bytes
-rw-r--r--LICENSE.txt11
-rw-r--r--README.md2
20 files changed, 3055 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6833f05
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitattributes
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+* text=auto
+*.txt text
+*.md text
diff --git a/32995-h.zip b/32995-h.zip
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6bafc9b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/32995-h.zip
Binary files differ
diff --git a/32995-h/32995-h.htm b/32995-h/32995-h.htm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eb81fad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/32995-h/32995-h.htm
@@ -0,0 +1,1733 @@
+<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN"
+ "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
+<!-- $Id: header.txt 236 2009-12-07 18:57:00Z vlsimpson $ -->
+
+<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">
+ <head>
+ <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" />
+ <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" />
+ <title>
+ The Project Gutenberg eBook of Our Caughnawagas in Egypt, by Louis Jackson.
+ </title>
+ <style type="text/css">
+
+body {
+ margin-left: 10%;
+ margin-right: 10%;
+}
+
+ h1,h2 {
+ text-align: center; /* all headings centered */
+ clear: both;
+}
+
+p {
+ margin-top: .75em;
+ text-align: justify;
+ margin-bottom: .75em;
+}
+
+table {
+ margin-left: auto;
+ margin-right: auto;
+}
+
+td.rn {text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;}
+
+.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */
+ /* visibility: hidden; */
+ position: absolute;
+ left: 92%;
+ font-size: smaller;
+ text-align: right;
+} /* page numbers */
+
+.bbox {border: solid 2px; }
+
+.center {text-align: center;}
+
+.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;}
+
+.caption {font-weight: bold;}
+
+div.centered {text-align:center;}
+div.centered table {margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; text-align:left;}
+
+/* Images */
+.figcenter {
+ margin: auto;
+ text-align: center;
+}
+
+.figboxed {
+ margin: auto;
+ text-align: center;
+ padding: 10px 10px 10px 10px;
+ border: 4px double;
+}
+
+.tranotes {
+ border: solid 1px #8b4513;
+ font-size: smaller;
+ width: 65%;
+ margin-left: auto;
+ margin-right: auto;
+ padding-left: 1em;
+ padding-right: 1em;
+ background: #fbf5e6;
+}
+
+ </style>
+ </head>
+
+<body>
+
+
+<pre>
+
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Our Caughnawagas in Egypt, by Louis Jackson
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Our Caughnawagas in Egypt
+ a narrative of what was seen and accomplished by the
+ contingent of North American Indian voyageurs who led the
+ British boat Expedition for the Relief of Khartoum up the
+ Cataracts of the Nile.
+
+Author: Louis Jackson
+
+Commentator: T. S. Brown
+
+Release Date: June 27, 2010 [EBook #32995]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OUR CAUGHNAWAGAS IN EGYPT ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Peter Vickers and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was
+produced from images generously made available by The
+Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+</pre>
+
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;">
+<img class="figboxed" src="images/front.gif" width="400" height="684" alt="OUR CAUGHNAWAGAS IN EGYPT." title="OUR CAUGHNAWAGAS IN EGYPT." />
+</div>
+
+<p><br /><br /></p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 150px;">
+<img src="images/front2.gif" width="150" height="29" alt="" title="" />
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">
+Entered according to Act of Parliament, in the year one thousand eight hundred and eighty-five<br />
+<span class="smcap">By</span> LOUIS JACKSON,<br />
+in the Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Statistics at Ottawa.<br />
+</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 150px;">
+<img src="images/front3.gif" width="150" height="31" alt="" title="" />
+</div>
+
+<p><br /><br /></p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;">
+<a name="i006" id="i006"></a>
+<img src="images/i006.gif" width="400" height="494" alt="LOUIS JACKSON, Captain of the Contingent." title="LOUIS JACKSON, Captain of the Contingent." />
+</div>
+
+<hr style="width: 95%;" />
+
+<h1>OUR CAUGHNAWAGAS</h1>
+
+<h2>IN EGYPT:</h2>
+
+<p class="center">A Narrative of what was seen and accomplished by the<br />
+Contingent of North American Indian Voyageurs who<br />
+led the British Boat Expedition for the Relief of<br />
+Khartoum up the Cataracts of the Nile.<br /></p>
+
+<p class="center">By LOUIS JACKSON, of Caughnawaga,<br />
+Captain of the Contingent.<br /></p>
+
+<p class="center">With an introductory preface by T. S. Brown.<br /></p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;">
+<img src="images/i007.gif" width="200" height="54" alt="" title="" />
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">Montreal:<br />
+W. DRYSDALE &amp; CO.,<br />
+PUBLISHERS, BOOKSELLERS AND STATIONERS,<br />
+<span class="smcap">232 St. James Street</span>.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 5%;" />
+<p class="center">1885.</p>
+<hr style="width: 95%;" />
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span></p>
+
+<table border="0" cellpadding="0" width="75%" cellspacing="5" summary="ILLUSTRATIONS">
+<tr>
+<td class="center" colspan="2"><h2>ILLUSTRATIONS</h2></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td><a href="#i006">LOUIS JACKSON. Captain of the Contingent</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td><a href="#i015a">THE PYRAMIDS OF GIZEH</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td><a href="#i015b">THE GREAT SPHINX</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td><a href="#i020a">A DAHABEAH</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td><a href="#i020b">RAISING WATER ON THE NILE</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td><a href="#i028a">BOAT FOR THE NILE EXPEDITION UNDER SAIL</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td><a href="#i028b">BOAT FOR THE NILE SHOWING AWNING</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td><a href="#i034">CATARACT OF AMBIGOL</a></td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+<hr style="width: 95%;" />
+
+<h2>PREFACE.</h2>
+
+<p>The Indians of Caughnawaga are an offshoot from the Mohawks,
+one of the divisions of the Six Nations, formerly in pseudo occupation
+of western New York, and known to the French by the
+general name of Iroquois. Long before the cession of this Province
+to Great Britain, they were settled at the head of the rapids of the
+St. Lawrence opposite Lachine, on a tract of land ten miles square,
+or 64,000 acres held in common, but lately separated into lots to be
+divided among the people as individual property.</p>
+
+<p>Contrary to what has been the too common fate of aborigines
+brought into close contact with foreigners, the Caughnawagas, with
+some mixture of white blood, have maintained throughout, their
+Indian customs, manners and language, with the manhood of their
+ancestors, in an alertness, strength and power of endurance where-ever
+these qualities have been required: in the boating or rafting
+on our larger rivers and the hardships of <i>Voyageurs</i> in the North-West.</p>
+
+<p>As a high tribute to this known excellence, the call for Canadian
+<i>Voyageurs</i> to assist in the boat navigation of the Nile was accompanied
+by a special requirement that there should be a contingent of
+fifty Caughnawagas. They responded quickly to the call, performed
+the task committed to them in a manner most satisfactory as described
+in these pages, and returned to their homes at the end of six
+months, after a voyage of more than 12,000 miles, sound and resolute
+as when they started, with the loss of but two men.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>There is something unique in the idea of the aborigines of the
+New World being sent for to teach the Egyptians how to pass the
+Cataracts of the Nile, which has been navigated in some way by
+them for thousands of years, that should make this little book
+attractive to all readers, especially as it is written by one born and
+bred in Caughnawaga, who, with the quick eye of an Indian, has
+noticed many things unnoticed by ordinary tourists and travellers.</p>
+
+<p>It is written in a most excellent spirit that might wisely be imitated
+by other travellers. The writer finds no faults, blames nobody, and
+always content, is generous in his acknowledgments for every act of
+kindness and proper consideration shown to him and his party, by
+Her Majesty's Officers of all ranks in command of the expedition.
+It was written off-hand and goes forth to the public as it came
+from the pen of the writer, to be judged in its style and the matter
+contained, by no standard but its own.</p>
+
+<p><span class="smcap">Montreal</span>, April, 1885.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span></p>
+
+<hr style="width: 95%;" />
+
+<h2>OUR CAUGHNAWAGAS IN EGYPT.</h2>
+
+<p>When it was made known by Lord Melgund in the
+early part of September, 1884, that it was the express
+desire of General Lord Wolseley to have Caughnawaga
+Indians form part of the Canadian Contingent,
+the required number was soon obtained, in spite of
+discouraging talk and groundless fears. Having been
+introduced to Lord Melgund, I agreed to go and look
+after the Caughnawaga boys, although then busily
+engaged in securing my crops. I, with a number of
+others reached the "Ocean King" at Quebec,
+having been left behind in Montreal through incorrect
+information given me by one of the ship's officers as
+to the time of sailing. We received the farewell of
+the Governor General on board the "Ocean King,"
+and His Excellency's very kind words had an especially
+encouraging effect upon my boys.</p>
+
+<p>On reaching Sidney, C. B., and while taking in
+coal, some funny tricks were played by voyageurs
+which I must not omit. To get ashore in spite of the
+officers who kept watch on the wharf, some daring
+fellows jumped from the vessel's rigging into the
+empty coal cars returning to the wharf, coming back
+in the dark and the vessel being a few feet off the
+wharf, the men had to climb aboard by a rope. Now
+it happened, that of two friends, one was able to get
+up, the other was not, neither could his friend help
+him, they however, contrived a plan, which they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span>
+carried out to perfection. The one on the wharf laid
+quietly down, while his friend climbed aboard and
+there informed our officers that a man had hurt himself
+by falling off the coal shoot, immediately there
+was great alarm, lamps were hung over the side and
+the man discovered by his clothes to be one of the
+voyageurs, a plank was shoved out over the ship's
+rail, standing nearly upright and a line hove, (some
+suggested to put the line around his neck.) However,
+he was hoisted aboard and carried towards the cabin.
+While being carried, the apparently lifeless one was
+seen to open his eyes three or four times, but too
+many hands evidently had hold of him and so he was
+brought before the doctor, who eagerly examined
+him, but soon pronounced him dead, "dead drunk" and
+ordered him to be taken to his bunk, where he soon
+sat up laughing and feeling good, to escape so easily.</p>
+
+<p>On arriving in Alexandria, after a fine passage and
+good treatment we saw our boats, which at the first
+sight and from a distance, were condemned by the
+boys, but later experience changed our first impression.</p>
+
+<p>We left the wharf at Alexandria on the 8th of October,
+at 11 a. m. by train. The first-class carriages
+were after the English style, but the troop cars in
+which we were transported were less comfortable,
+they had four benches placed fore and aft, two in the
+centre back to back and one on each side with back to
+outside, lacking the usual conveniences of our Canadian
+cars. The sides of the car were about four feet
+high, then open to the roof. We were fifty-six
+in a car which made it uncomfortably crowded.
+After leaving Alexandria I was surprised to see<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span>
+people standing up to their necks in the swamps,
+cutting some kind of grass. I saw also cattle lying perfectly
+still in the water with just their heads out.
+This sight scared my boys as to what the heat would
+be further south. Beyond the swamps on the east
+side of the road I saw nice gardens, and, what was
+still more interesting, groves of palm trees with fruit.
+After two hours' ride we reached the desert, where
+nothing but sand was to be seen. The whistle went
+all the time to warn camel drivers, who also use the
+roadbed, and I did not see any other road for them to
+travel. Another curiosity was the protective fencing
+for the road, made of cornstalks to keep back the sand,
+as we make board fences against the snow. At all
+the stations, which were far apart, all hands rushed
+out for a drink of water. We did not meet many
+trains. During the afternoon we came close to the
+Nile, which there appeared to be about the same
+width as the St. Lawrence opposite Caughnawaga.
+We soon reached a regular Egyptian settlement, with
+people living in small mud huts, and with chickens,
+goats, sheep and dogs coming out with the children.
+The ground appeared to be clay and in the road every
+three or four feet there was a rat hole and rats dodging
+in all directions. I saw more rats at a glance than
+I had ever seen before in all my life. We also saw
+some ship yards with some boats on the stocks and
+some on the mud. The boats were about twenty feet
+long, and one afloat appeared to be wood to within
+about four inches above water with gunwales of mud
+and a peculiar sail.</p>
+
+<p>The gunwales were three or four feet high and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span>
+five or six inches thick. They appeared to be baked
+hard by the sun, and were water proof, as I afterwards
+saw several of them loaded so heavily that a great
+part of the mud gunwales were under water. I suppose
+mud is used in preference to wood, because wood
+is very scarce in Egypt and mud is very plentiful.
+They make the most of the mud which the Nile
+brings down in such quantities every year. They
+build houses with it as well as boats and it is this
+mud which manures and fertilizes the whole land of
+Egypt.</p>
+
+<p>We soon sighted the pyramids and came to Bulac
+Station three miles from Cairo at 7 o'clock. It being
+dark, supper was served which we took into the cars,
+it consisted of canned meat, bread and tea. We left at
+eight for Assiout. The sand became very troublesome
+entering the open cars and I concluded as we
+were travelling through the night to give my eyes a
+rest and went to sleep sitting up. Next morning at
+eight o'clock we reached Assiout about 240 miles
+from Alexandria, there we saw some Nubian prisoners,
+black, ugly and desperate looking fellows chained
+together with large rusty chains round their necks.
+They were sitting on the ground. We were marched
+about a quarter of a mile to the river, where there
+were fleets of steamers and barges, one fleet waiting
+for us. We were marched on board two barges tied
+together and after washing about half an inch of mud
+off our faces with Nile river water, went to breakfast
+prepared by our own cooks who had left Alexandria
+twelve hours in advance. After breakfast I went
+ashore, I noticed in one little mud hut, goats, sheep,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span>
+dogs and children on the ground and there were flies
+in the children's faces and eyes beyond description. I
+got my first near view of a date tree here with its
+rough bark which I cut with my knife.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;">
+<a name="i015a" id="i015a"></a>
+<img class="bbox" src="images/i015a.gif" width="500" height="296" alt="THE PYRAMIDS OF GIZEH." title="THE PYRAMIDS OF GIZEH." />
+<span class="caption">THE PYRAMIDS OF GIZEH.</span>
+</div>
+<p><br /></p>
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;">
+<a name="i015b" id="i015b"></a>
+<img class="bbox" src="images/i015b.gif" width="400" height="408" alt="THE GREAT SPHINX." title="THE GREAT SPHINX." />
+<span class="caption">THE GREAT SPHINX.</span>
+</div>
+
+<p>The next sight was a ship yard where four or five
+whip saws were kept going; their whip saw is rigged
+like a bucksaw only the saw instead of the stick, is
+in the centre. There is a stick on each side of the
+saw and a string outside each stick. They had to
+back the saw the whole length of the wood to get it
+out. Messrs. Cook and Son the great tourist agents
+had just commenced to build a large hotel, which
+when returning home I found already finished. I
+noticed a sign over a mud house door "Egyptian
+Bank." A track runs from the depot straight down
+to the river and there were a number of flat cars
+loaded with boats, of which I took a nearer look, I also
+saw oars and poles. I was well pleased with all and
+at the same time made up my mind, that we had
+carried paddles across the ocean for very little use. I
+asked permission to go and see the catacombs, but was
+told that we must get under way. I received for my
+men cooking utensils, such as kettles, tin-plates, knives,
+forks and spoons, for the whole campaign, which I
+delivered up again, when returning. We started at
+11 a. m., the fleet consisting of two barges side by side
+in tow of a side-wheel steamer. At the stern of each
+barge a trough, built of mud bricks, formed the cooking
+range, and it amused me to see that they had put
+on about half a cord of wood for cooking purposes, to
+last during the trip to Assouan, (twelve days) and this
+at once impressed me with the difference between the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span>
+value of fuel in this country and in our own. There
+were thirteen gangs with their foremen on the barges
+and three gangs with foremen on the steamer. We
+found the Nile river water of good taste but muddy
+and we generally left it standing for an hour to settle.
+A funny sight was presented by a cow and a small
+camel harnessed to a plough. A stick crooked suitably
+by nature was laid over both necks and tied round
+each and a native rope was run from the yoke
+to a stick, also crooked to suit the purpose by nature,
+used as plough, scratching about two inches deep and
+three inches wide, at a speed as I judged of one acre
+per week. Another unusual thing was to see the
+crops in several stages of growth at the same time in
+adjoining patches, from sowing to quarter grown, half
+grown and ripe crops. This is one of the consequences
+of the Nubians depending upon the overflow of
+the Nile to fertilize their soil. Directly the river
+begins to fall they commence to sow their seed in the
+mud, it leaves behind, and as the water recedes they
+follow it up with the sowing. The crop farthest from
+the river of course gets the start.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;">
+<a name="i020a" id="i020a"></a>
+<img class="bbox" src="images/i020a.gif" width="500" height="311" alt="A DAHABEAH." title="A DAHABEAH." />
+<span class="caption">A DAHABEAH.</span>
+</div>
+
+<p><br /></p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;">
+<a name="i020b" id="i020b"></a>
+<img class="bbox" src="images/i020b.gif" width="500" height="446" alt="RAISING WATER ON THE NILE." title="RAISING WATER ON THE NILE." />
+<span class="caption">RAISING WATER ON THE NILE.</span>
+</div>
+
+<p>The next novel sight was the irrigation of the
+fields. To lift the water from the river, a frame is
+made by putting some cornstalks into the ground and
+putting clay round them to make posts, which are
+placed about six feet apart; the posts support a small
+stick, across which is laid a crooked pole, with about
+a dozen bends in it, that balances a mud basket on
+one end against a leather bucket on the other. The
+bucket holds about as much as our common well bucket,
+a man is continually filling from the river and emptying<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span>
+into a mud spout between the posts. The water
+is led off in a small mud conduit over the farm which
+is divided into sections, when one section is filled
+with water the stream is turned into another one.
+These waterworks are kept going day and night. Once
+in a while one may see cattle power used for irrigation
+of the following old fashioned kind, the yoke is
+hitched to a primative cog-wheel of about twelve feet
+in diameter, which works into a smaller wheel placed
+underneath it, the cattle walking over a bridge. The
+cogs are simply pins driven into the outside of each
+wheel. The shaft of the smaller wheel runs out over
+a ditch cut from the river and carries a large reel
+about eighteen feet in diameter over which two native
+ropes are laid to which are attached about forty earthen
+jars. The cattle here are about the same size as
+ours, but they have a lump on their back and their
+horns run straight back. The colour of most of these
+cattle is blueish. Where the fertile strip of land
+is wide, canals are dug in curves to bring
+the water back near, to the sand mountains. The
+cattle feed along the river bank, which is left uncultivated
+for about twenty feet from the water, and I
+have seen a number of them of all kinds, feeding on
+this poor strip and never touch the rich crops alongside,
+although left to themselves and I was told that
+they were taught that way. The sheep look
+like dogs dragging long tails on the ground and the
+dogs look much like the Esquimaux dogs I have seen
+in Manitoba.</p>
+
+<p>After seven or eight days travel we left the sand
+mountains and began to see rock on both sides, more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span>
+particularly on the east bank the rock looked to me
+like plaster of Paris. The natives quarried it and
+loaded it into small dibeers. "Dibeers" are sailing
+crafts with a small cabin aft, whilst, "Nuggars" are
+plain barges, with a very peculiar sail, the boom of
+which is rolled into the sail by way of furling the latter.
+I heard one blast go off and this being Sunday,
+the 19th October, I made up my mind that the people
+here have no Sundays. We passed some ruins on both
+shores, some appeared to be cut into the solid rock,
+which here is of a brownish colour. I could not tell
+what kind of rock but the courses varied from four to
+twenty feet as seen between the temples and they
+laid very even. The perpendicular seams were perfectly
+straight. The temples all faced the river. We
+also passed some immense figures, some standing, some
+sitting on chairs, some looking towards the river,
+some showing their profile, the highest of these I
+judged to be 60 feet high. It was a pity that we
+could not get the slightest information from the
+Egyptian crew with us, who seemed very averse to
+us, so much so, that I could not even learn their names
+far less any of their language. About this time some
+of the boys gave out that we would be shown the
+exact spot, where Moses was picked up, but nobody
+knew exactly. Our fleet did not run at nights, and it
+always happened that we halted in some uninhabited
+place, where nothing could be learned. Some of the
+cities we passed presented a beautiful appearance
+from the distance, temples, high towers and so forth
+all looking very white, some mud houses were two
+or three stories high and of blue mud color.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>At one place, the only one point where we stopped in
+the day time, I went ashore to see what was called a
+sacred tree. A young Christian Egyptian of about
+sixteen years, whose acquaintance I made here told me
+that the sacred tree had great healing power, and sick
+people would come and ask its help, and when cured
+would drive a nail into the tree as a memorial. The
+tree showed a great number of nails of all patterns,
+and it must not be forgotten that nails here are even
+scarcer than money. It is a live tree and nothing nice
+to look at, it rises from the ground about four feet
+straight and then lays over horizontally for about
+thirty feet, after which it turns up and throws out
+branches. The trunk is about one foot through and
+the bark is similar to that of our large thorn tree.
+Returning to the fleet I saw a young man lying in the
+dust on the side of the road, with his mouth open, his
+tongue out and his eyes, in fact his whole face a mass
+of flies, a horrible sight. A little girl bent over him,
+pointed to the sick and looked at me. My young
+Christian bade me come away saying it was a case of
+leprosy. My friend showed me a mosque and a bazaar.
+Coming out of the bazaar I noticed three men acting
+very queerly, walking around in front of a mud hut,
+talking dolefully or murmuring and constantly looking
+to the ground, and was told that there was a death in
+the family. My guide saw me back to the fleet and
+on the road asked me for a book, and I gave him one.
+His people lived in the place. The fertile strips along
+the river here are much narrower than in Lower Egypt,
+sometimes one-eighth of a mile wide sometimes only
+about two hundred feet, but to judge from the crops<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span>
+as well as the cattle and the food the latter find, the
+soil must be better.</p>
+
+<p>I should say the river is from a third of a mile to
+half a mile wide on the average from Assiout to Assouan,
+and very shallow, as the steamer, which drew
+about five feet of water, got aground often. We
+reached Assouan at 10 a. m. on the 21st, not without
+regret at having had to pass such famous places as
+Thebes and Luxor. We camped quite close to Thebes
+and there were guides waiting with candles to
+show us over the place but we had no time to spare
+and so were not permitted to wander about.</p>
+
+<p>We landed two miles below the city at Assouan the
+lower end of the track of the seven mile railway to
+Shellal passing behind Assouan. This railway is built
+to portage over the first cataract. Opposite Assouan,
+we passed the camp of the Black Watch. At Shellal,
+a steamer with forty whalers in tow received us and
+started at once towards Wady Halfa. We camped
+two or three miles above Shellal and were therefore
+deprived of any sight of the first cataract. Our fifty-six
+Caughnawaga Indians were given eight boats,
+which were towed four abreast and ten long, this was
+the first time we got into the boats. We soon made
+use of the awning provided for each. The country
+along the river here is all rock and as I was told, back
+of the rock all sand. Doctor Neilson informed me
+that we were now about crossing into the tropics.
+The natives here are considerably darker than the
+Egyptians and better built men. They were dressed
+similarly to the Egyptians. A navy pinnace overhauled
+us here bringing Abbe Bouchard who had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span>
+stayed behind in Cairo. We went a good distance
+before we again met cultivated land and then only in
+strips, some of which were not twenty feet wide and
+they were utilized every inch. The natives follow
+the falling river with cultivation, as I discovered when
+coming back a little over three months afterwards,
+when I found crops of beans from one inch to a foot
+long, growing where there had been water. We
+passed miles of barren rock and then again narrow
+strips and altogether the country was poorer
+than Upper Egypt. Occasionally we would see a
+few date trees along the river and now and then
+a small mud-built village. Irrigation was going on
+the same as below, both by hand and by
+ox-power. We reached Korosko on the 24th of October
+the steamer was run with the bow on the shore, but
+the boats towed too far from shore for us to get out.</p>
+
+<p>Korosko is a small fort occupied by both English
+and Egyptian soldiers. The river banks around
+are fifteen to twenty feet high. From my whaler
+I could see a small building near the beach
+with a sign over the door marked "poste Keden"
+Post office. We left Korosko after an hour's stoppage
+and beached in good season, to give us a chance to
+cook supper. At every night's camp we unavoidably
+did more or less damage to the crops, which must have
+caused serious loss to these poor people by whom, as I
+said before, every inch of the spare soil is utilized.
+We got under way at sunrise. The river up this far
+from Assouan is a series of very straight stretches from
+five to fifteen miles in length with no difficult bends
+and good for navigation everywhere. The current<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span>
+varys from three to five miles an hour. During this
+day I noticed a small screw tug bearing a foresail
+coming after us and trying hard to reach us. It proved
+to be a press steamer having on board the correspondent
+of an English paper, an engineer and a native pilot.
+They ran short of coal and wanted a tow, and all the
+coal they had left when reaching us, a man could
+have put in his vest pocket. We beached this night
+on the west side close to a temple, cut, as it appeared
+to me into the solid rock. Being called to receive
+stores and cholera belts for the men I was prevented
+from joining an exploring party, that set out,
+and was told, when the boys came back, that
+I had missed something worth seeing. I learnt
+afterwards that this place was Abu-Simbel, where
+there are two temples cut out of the rock which
+are said to be the oldest specimens of architecture
+in the world. The boys said they had seen
+stone figures of men with toes three feet long and I
+dare say they were not far out, as I learnt there are
+four seated figures in front of the largest temple supposed
+to represent Rameses the Great, which are sixty
+five feet in height. I was sorry that I had to stay
+behind to look after the stores. Talking about cholera
+belts, everybody engaged in the British service in
+Egypt had to wear these belts, soldiers and voyageurs
+were supplied with them and required to wear them.
+They are strips of flannel twelve or fifteen inches
+wide, and I was told by soldiers who had served in
+Egypt some time, that they are very effective in preventing
+cholera and dysentery.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;">
+<a name="i028a" id="i028a"></a>
+<img class="bbox" src="images/i028a.gif" width="500" height="311" alt="BOAT FOR THE NILE EXPEDITION UNDER SAIL." title="BOAT FOR THE NILE EXPEDITION UNDER SAIL." />
+<span class="caption">BOAT FOR THE NILE EXPEDITION UNDER SAIL.</span>
+</div>
+
+<p><br /></p>
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;">
+<a name="i028b" id="i028b"></a>
+<img class="bbox" src="images/i028b.gif" width="500" height="315" alt="BOAT FOR THE NILE EXPEDITION SHOWING AWNING." title="BOAT FOR THE NILE EXPEDITION SHOWING AWNING." />
+<span class="caption">BOAT FOR THE NILE EXPEDITION SHOWING AWNING.</span>
+</div>
+
+<p>Next day, Sunday the 26th at 5 p. m. we arrived at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span>
+Wady Halfa. The weather was still the same as ever
+since we landed at Alexandria, not a cloud, not uncomfortably
+warm, but warm enough. A steam tug
+came out from Wady Halfa and brought orders for us
+to proceed as far as the river was navigable for the
+steamer. This brought us about four miles above
+Wady Halfa where the tow was disbanded. The
+boats then proceeded another mile and we camped.
+During this mile we had the first opportunity to work
+the boats, (still all light) and that evening the opinions
+about them varied greatly.</p>
+
+<p>No sooner were our tents pitched than Lord
+Wolseley arrived. He shook hands with some, exchanged
+a few words with our commander, Colonel
+Denison, and was off again. We found here about a
+hundred whalers waiting for us. We were at the foot
+of the second cataract and the following morning were
+ordered to take the light boats up the cataract to the
+first naval camp, about three miles distant, to make
+one trip and if possible two. Seven men took one
+boat and all the crews made two trips, some getting
+through early, some late.</p>
+
+<p>The first trip I made, I took a different channel
+from those who started before. I stepped the two masts
+with which the boat was provided and used the sails
+and the six oars only, the wind being as usual from the
+north. We needed all our resources but we reached
+the camp in good time. We walked back the three
+miles took another boat and tried the channel generally
+taken, it being apparently the shortest route. I
+had to use the tow-line at one place where there was a
+"gate" or channel, as we say in Canada, with about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span>
+three feet of a fall, about eighteen feet wide and a good
+standing place to tow from. Right there was stationed
+our acquaintance, the reporter, in his little tug moored
+above the gate. One of the voyageurs while wading
+must have stepped into some seam, he jumped quickly
+back into his boat, leaving behind his moccasin and
+said he was bitten by a crocodile, which all of us were
+kind enough to believe and we advised him not to wade
+any more. All had accomplished their task in the evening
+and come back to our camp. Soon afterwards General
+Sir Evelyn Wood arrived and went towards
+Colonel Denison's tent. I heard my name called by
+my officer and went before the General who demanded
+the number of my men and wanted to see them.
+Getting the men in line, the General asked me if they
+spoke English and I said they spoke enough for boating
+purposes, but no more. The General then left. After
+supper I was informed by my officer that I had to
+take thirty-five men with me and go about a hundred
+miles up the river.</p>
+
+<p>Here commences the second railway of the river route,
+about thirty miles long, and the first train on the following
+morning brought Lord Wolseley on his way to
+the front. The second train had on board, Col.
+Alleyne, Lord Avonmore, Capt. Moore, Lieut. Perry
+and Lieut. C. R. Orde. This train took me and my
+men on and stopped at Gemai where we found several
+boats which had been portaged on cars. We pitched
+tents and did not leave until 10 o'clock the next morning,
+October 29th. I picked crews as nearly equal
+as I could, with a captain to each and started with six
+boats, nearly light, only the five officers and their luggage<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span>
+on board. I had the honor to start in boat No. 1
+with Col. Alleyne on board, the officers taking a boat
+each of different numbers, reached Sarras about 5 p. m.
+a distance of eighteen miles. The river here is very
+narrow, in some places about a thousand feet and the
+current very swift. I had to get a line out only once.
+At Sarras each boat took on nearly two tons of ammunition
+and stores, also additional passengers. We
+proceeded two miles up and camped. There were
+many islands and rocks both in sight and sunken, but
+room enough to go anywhere. The shores are barren
+rock. Starting next day with a light breeze, I soon
+found that I wanted more wind to proceed under sail
+as the current grew swifter and my boat had now on
+board, besides Col. Alleyne, his servant, his interpreter,
+one corporal and one native swimmer, then myself
+with five men and about two tons of freight. This
+was the time to find out what we could do with our
+boats, the north wind had freshened, which gave us
+more speed and with the help of five good oars we
+dodged the swift currents, catching eddies and after
+two hours trial the captains congratulated each other
+upon being masters of the situation. We soon began
+to race, each captain using his own judgment as to
+which channel to take, which gave each a chance to
+be ahead or behind according to his luck. When I
+signalled for dinner all headed for shore and it was
+here that Louis Capitaine was so unaccountably lost,
+within sixty feet from shore. Louis had the bow oar
+in Peter January's boat and he rose when nearing
+shore. While standing in the bow he fell over, the
+headway of the boat made the distance a hundred<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span>
+feet before he was seen to rise. Lieut. Perry threw a
+life-preserver and ordered the Arab swimmer, which
+this boat carried, to assist him, the swimmer jumped
+immediately and swam towards the spot but Louis
+disappeared before assistance reached him. My
+boat was about sixty yards behind Peter's boat
+coming up in the eddy behind a rock. When striking
+the current I noticed Louis' helmet and the Arab
+swimmer. We went ashore to prepare dinner and I
+really believe that Colonel Alleyne, the officer in
+charge of this convoy, felt so badly about this accident,
+that he did not take anything. He hired natives to
+search for the body and give it decent burial, if found.
+After dinner we proceeded with one man short. The
+water not being so bad we made the Semnah cataract
+that afternoon. This cataract was thought the worst
+in the whole route. Colonel Alleyne showed me up to
+the gate and said "now everything is yours." It
+must be understood that this gate does by no means
+reach across the river. The river is about 1000 feet
+wide here and the gate situated between the east
+shore and an island is about twenty feet wide. Not
+being sure of the water I tried a light boat first. I
+took boat No. 1 through without any trouble, but
+would not trust the full load on any boat. We all
+lightened somewhat and passed the six boats through
+with tow lines inside of an hour. The freight we
+had left was portaged by camels. We reloaded and
+started under sail four miles up in smooth water and
+camped. Colonel Alleyne held an inquest that night
+on Louis Capitaine's death and despatched a man to the
+nearest telegraph station with the news of his death.
+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span>A few weeks after this despatch was sent, Colonel
+Kennedy showed me a copy of the Ottawa <i>Free Press</i>,
+in which the <i>Free Press</i> made free indeed reporting
+Captain Louis Jackson as drowned. All the captains
+appeared pleased with their boats, talking about who
+made the best run and each boasting to have the best
+boat. From this cataract to the next one above, at
+Ambigol, is counted seventeen miles, which stretch
+proved much the same as below Semnah cataract;
+plenty of dodging and crossing the stream to get the
+side of the river with the lesser current, the boats
+being such good travellers and answering their helms
+so well with a stiff breeze, we found ourselves in a
+genuine boatman's paradise. In spite of the free wind
+we had all day, we had to get lines out and track
+several times. We camped on an island about a
+mile below Ambigol cataract. In the evening the
+captains argued as to which of them had run the
+most on sandbanks. These sand shoals are formed
+behind large rocks in a manner never seen in our
+own waters, and it was strange to notice that like
+situated rocks would not alike accumulate sand, some
+had shoals behind them and some had none, still all
+showed the same eddy on the water surface, and the
+water being muddy we could not tell which to trust
+and so gave them all wider berths in future.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;">
+<a name="i034" id="i034"></a>
+<img class="bbox" src="images/i034.gif" width="500" height="323" alt="CATARACT OF AMBIGOL." title="CATARACT OF AMBIGOL." />
+<span class="caption">CATARACT OF AMBIGOL.</span>
+</div>
+
+<p>The following day, the 1st of November we reached
+the post of Ambigol about 8 a. m. We found this
+cataract different from Semnah cataract. This has no
+"gate" but a very crooked channel, swift current and
+very bad tracking. It required the combined force of
+thirty-five men to pull one boat with its full load.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span>
+The cataract is one mile long and the roughest part
+is at the foot and at the head. It was in this mile of
+the route that afterwards three white men were lost.
+We got through this cataract about noon and cooked
+dinner just above it. It must be remembered that
+the route was entirely unknown to us all and that
+we had to find our channels and often did not take
+the best one. From this out I ordered my captains
+to take a different channel each, there being so many,
+so as to find the best one for future purposes. The
+boats being so equally matched, we could easily tell
+who had the wrong channel, for he was soon left astern.
+The officer in charge, Col. Alleyne, who is
+himself an experienced boatman, was so well pleased
+with our progress that he never interfered but left
+it all to us. It must also not be forgotten that the
+boys had been forty days travelling, doing no hard
+work, before we took the boats and by this time their
+hands were very sore. The rocky shores were so
+bold that poles could only be of use in keeping off and
+it was impossible to assist by shoving ahead.</p>
+
+<p>To say a word about the boats now, we all had come
+to the conclusion that the boats and outfit were well
+devised for the service so far. We had tried them
+now in various ways; we had sailed against a swift
+current with a beam wind, where a flat bottom would
+have had to be towed with lines, and the more this
+towing could be avoided the better it was on account
+of the fearful track along the shore. The boats
+were sufficiently strong for all necessary handling
+and in case of accident, they were light enough
+to be brought ashore and turned over for repairs without<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span>
+extra help. More difficult it was to find a good
+place on the shore where to haul a boat out. The
+boats were provided with two sails each, a sample of
+which (sails) I have brought home with me.</p>
+
+<p>We camped next on Tangur island and the following
+day the 2nd of November, we started to face the
+Tangur cataract. The wind being very strong in our
+favor we tried to dodge behind the many islands, but
+had to give up sailing in many places and get the lines
+out. We overcame this cataract without much difficulty.
+Above the cataract it was considered smooth water for
+about one mile when a very bad stretch was met with
+about half a mile long. The river here is about
+quarter of a mile wide, and full of large rocks between
+which the water came down very "wicked" in
+channels of about sixty feet wide and some wider. I
+again ordered each captain to pick his own channel,
+and having a strong breeze and all oars working we
+managed to get above. In this place I discovered by
+experience that what we had found to be the best
+channel on that day, was the worst a few days after.
+The water falling six inches to a foot every day, continually
+changed the rapids, making a bad place better
+and a good place bad. Above this cataract we had
+thirteen miles of what we called smooth water with a
+current of from three to five miles an hour. I had
+noticed in coming up that the country was inhabited,
+having seen a few Arabs now and then. We reached
+the foot of Akaska cataract that evening. On landing,
+the boat, which carried Lord Avonmore, got stove in
+when His Lordship took the tools and proved himself
+quite a carpenter. Here also were seen some useful<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span>
+stretches of beach under cultivation, but these were
+getting few and far between.</p>
+
+<p>Next day, the 3rd November, we faced the Akaska
+cataract, we were getting used to the river and therefore
+this cataract proved to be the easiest so far. Between
+Akaska and the foot of Dal cataract there are
+nine miles of good navigation, and the greater part of
+the beach is useful, this stretch looking altogether
+better and less wild. We reached the foot of Dal
+about noon. Dal cataract is said to be five miles long.
+In this cataract I saw for the first time, small willow
+trees on the islands. We went about half a mile up
+with sails and oars, when we had to track for quite a
+distance. In this rapid it happened for the first time
+that we came to a halt, not knowing how to proceed.
+We had crossed on to an island not having water
+enough in the little channel between this island and
+the shore, but found at the head of the island the
+water rough and the current too strong to pull against
+and could not proceed without a line to the mainshore.
+It was here that the foresight of Colonel Alleyne,
+proved of value. Our Arab swimmer managed to
+carry the tow line to the shore, where he made fast
+and we pulled ourselves up, carrying the end of the
+tow line of the next boat, which carried the next line
+and so on until the six boats were up. Half a mile
+further on we came to a place where it was impossible
+to proceed on this side of the river, there being no
+place for the men to stand and pull, the water made
+a kind of a fall, and it was altogether a singular
+place. We had to try the other side of the river.
+In crossing we met with many rocks and one island<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span>
+which offered so many favorable eddies, that we rather
+gained than lost ground. The river here is about
+three-quarters of a mile wide. On the west shore we
+found good tracking for about a quarter of a mile,
+when again the services of our swimmer were required.
+Finding ourselves on an island, Colonel Alleyne being
+an experienced boatman said we had done enough for
+that day and we camped.</p>
+
+<p>On Tuesday, November 4th, we started again with
+sails and oars. The river being full of islands we had
+not the same difficulty as the day before, and we
+reached Sarkametto about 10 a. m., well pleased to find
+ourselves at the head of these last four cataracts and
+congratulated ourselves on having brought the first six
+boats of the Expedition so far.</p>
+
+<p>Next morning I received orders to go down with
+four boats, which order rather disappointed me, as I
+had expected to go through to Dongola. I found out
+that our trip was a trial only. I took all hands into
+the four boats, the officers also coming aboard, and left
+at 9 a. m.</p>
+
+<p>Now came the tug of war, the shooting of all the
+cataracts. Coming up we used all eddies, now we had
+to avoid them, coming up also if unable to proceed
+we could draw back and try another channel, now,
+everything depended on quick judgment and prompt
+action, the more so as keel boats are not considered fit
+for rapid work. I ordered my captains to follow at
+such distances as to give them time to avoid following
+should the leading boat err in the choice of channel.
+After shooting the Dal cataract all safe I asked my
+captains how the boats behaved. All agreed that they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span>
+were slow in answering their helm and required close
+watching. Travelling between the cataracts against
+a strong headwind was slow work and we longed for
+the next one to get along faster. Shooting the Dal,
+there had been much dodging of rocks and islands,
+which gave some excitement. In Akaska cataract we
+discovered a smooth, straight channel in the middle
+of the river and not very long.</p>
+
+<p>This shooting of the rapids was a surprise to the
+Egyptian soldiers, a number of whom were stationed
+at every cataract. The natives came rushing out of
+their huts with their children, goats and dogs and
+stood on the beach to see the North American Indian
+boatmen. I had more leisure now to look round. I
+have not seen the place yet where I would care to
+settle down.</p>
+
+<p>The next cataract is Tangur, which I considered the
+most dangerous of all for shooting. The river is wide
+and there are many islands and rocks, the rocks are
+high, and there are many channels to choose from, and
+as I had noticed coming up, many of these channels are
+too crooked for shooting especially with a keel boat,
+all of which makes this rapid, a dangerous one to shoot.
+The rocks hide each other and if you clear the first
+one you find yourself close on the other. A narrow
+escape I had on the east side of Tangur island. The
+boat following me had taken a sheer and was obliged to
+take another channel, which having a swifter current
+than the one I had taken, brought this boat up with
+me below the rock so close as nearly to cause a disaster.</p>
+
+<p>Colonel Alleyne ordered lunch near the place, where
+the steamer Gizeh was wrecked. We could see her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span>
+high and dry on the rock, where she had laid some
+time as I was told. After lunch we started for
+Ambigol cataract. On our way we met several large
+nuggars with their peculiar sails, going at good speed.
+These nuggars never track but go up with a strong
+breeze. We shot Ambigol cataract between three and
+four o'clock and met five whalers at the foot of it.
+Colonel Alleyne ordered me to go ashore to speak to
+them. They were manned by Royal Engineers with
+foreman Graham and his voyageurs. We started again
+downwards and made Semnah cataract after sunset
+shortly before dark. Shooting Semnah gate, finished
+our day's work and we camped. We had made this
+day 61 miles.</p>
+
+<div class="centered">
+<table summary="Mileages">
+<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Dal cataract</span></td><td class="rn">5</td><td class="center">miles.</td></tr>
+<tr><td>From the foot of Dal to the head of Akaska </td><td class="rn">9</td><td class="center">"</td></tr>
+<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Akaska cataract</span></td><td class="rn">1</td><td class="center">"</td></tr>
+<tr><td>From the foot of Akaska to Tangur</td><td class="rn">14</td><td class="center">"</td></tr>
+<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Tangur cataract</span></td><td class="rn">3</td><td class="center">"</td></tr>
+<tr><td>From the foot of Tangur to Ambigol</td><td class="rn">9</td><td class="center">"</td></tr>
+<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ambigol cataract</span></td><td class="rn">1</td><td class="center">"</td></tr>
+<tr><td>From the foot of Ambigol to Semnah</td><td class="rn">17</td><td class="center">"</td></tr>
+<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Semnah cataract</span></td><td class="rn">2</td><td class="center">"</td></tr>
+<tr><td></td><td class="rn">&mdash;&mdash;</td><td class="center"></td></tr>
+<tr><td></td><td class="rn">61</td><td class="center">"</td></tr>
+</table>
+</div>
+
+<p>This day's experience decided my opinion about the
+boats. Many of my men had been portaging on the
+Ottawa for different lumber firms and all agreed with
+me, that whilst the Nile river boats would have been
+of no use on the Ottawa, they could not be improved
+upon for the Nile service on account of the nature of
+the river. For the ascents of the river as well as the
+cataracts, the sailing qualities of the boats were all
+important, and when towed by line the keel would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span>
+give a chance to shoot out into the current to get round
+rocks, where a flat bottom would have followed the line
+broadside and fetched up against the rock. In shooting
+the cataracts the boats did not answer the helm as
+quickly as would flat bottoms, but this drawback was
+not sufficient to condemn the keel.</p>
+
+<p>Next day, Thursday, November 6th, we ran some
+more swift water to Sarras, nine miles below foot of
+Semnah. We met there thirty whalers with troops
+and stores ready to ascend. Colonel Denison asked
+me to give him one man to act as pilot, so I gave him
+Mathias Hill, an Iroquois. Colonel Denison went up
+with this fleet.</p>
+
+<p>Most of the Canadian voyageurs asked me how I
+found the Rapids. I told them that I had no trouble,
+considering it unadvisable to give a minute description,
+as I had already discovered how the fast falling
+water daily changed the appearance of the river, and
+what was a good place for me to go up, would be bad
+now, whilst a bad place might be better. I was well
+aware that these voyageurs would have more trouble
+than I had. They had not only larger loads but soldier
+crews, whilst I had my Caughnawaga boys with
+whom I had worked from youth up and who promptly
+caught at a sign from me, while the soldiers had to be
+talked to, and, although having the best of will, could
+not always comprehend the situation.</p>
+
+<p>After thirty whalers had started, I was informed by
+Lord Avon more of the order to camp. Next day the
+7th November, another fleet of twenty-eight boats
+started, for which Lord Avonmore asked me a pilot.
+I gave him John Bruce of St. Regis.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The following day, the 8th, Lord Avonmore requested
+of me seven men and a foreman, to go with
+him up to the Dal cataract to be stationed there, owing
+probably, as I thought to myself, that Col. Alleyne
+considered the Dal the most difficult. I pointed out
+Peter Canoe as the most experienced boatman I had,
+and as he does not speak English, James Deer went
+as their interpreter. I received orders for myself to
+go down with the rest of my men to Gemai. At
+Gemai I found twenty-three light boats manned by
+Dongolese. Placing a captain in each boat we started,
+but were disappointed to find that these men had never
+seen a boat nor used an oar. With the help of the usual
+north wind we managed to ascend in good time to
+Sarras. On the way up we had to teach one man to
+steer and then go round to each man and teach him to
+row. Neither understanding one word of the other's
+language, this was a terrible task. I had however,
+been long enough in contact with English
+military discipline by this time, to know that there
+was no backing out. We loaded at Sarras and proceeded
+up with Lieut. C. R. Orde as Commander of
+this convoy, who had an interpreter with him.
+Without the latter it would have been impossible to
+get along; as it was, some accidents could not be avoided.
+Our new commander being an experienced
+boatman as well as a good carpenter, and a gentleman
+we managed to keep up with the other fleets. To
+give an idea of the trouble we had, I need only say
+that these Dongolese generally understood just
+the contrary of what they were ordered to do. They
+would pull hard when asked to stop or stop pulling<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span>
+at some critical place when hard pulling was required.
+Lieut. Orde as well as myself were continually patching
+boats on account of these fellows. We made the nine
+miles from Sarras to Semnah in just six days, whereas
+we had travelled before at the rate of seventy miles
+in five days. At Semnah Lieut. Orde reported to
+Commander Hammill, R. N., in charge of Semnah
+cataract, Commander Hammill informed me that my
+plan of ascending Semnah gate was adopted by all the
+others, he also asked me if I thought I should be able
+to make boatmen of the Dongolese, I told him I was
+discouraged and the only consolation I had was that
+my Dongolese convoy was still travelling as fast as
+the other fleets in spite of my strict orders always to
+give the right of way to boats manned by soldiers and
+to avoid retarding them in the cataracts.</p>
+
+<p>Reaching Ambigol November 19th, during this day
+I was requested to assist in pulling off a steam pinnace
+which had run on the rocks and filled, blocking
+the small channel for steamers to ascend. I having
+175 Dongolese with my Caughnawaga boys and
+about 200 Egyptian soldiers they parted the hawser
+on the first pull, while getting another hawser Col.
+Butler arrived in a whaler from Sarras with a crew of
+Kroomen, with Chief Prince of Manitoba as captain.
+Col. Butler ordered us to abandon the wreck and explore
+another channel on the opposite side of the river, I
+unloaded my boat manned by Caughnawagas and with
+Lieut. Orde, went across, after half a day's search
+found a very crooked channel which afterwards 4 or 5
+steamers ascended successfully.</p>
+
+<p>At Tangur it was found advisable to split the convoy,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span>
+Major Crofton taking 10 boats and Lieut. Orde
+the rest. Going up some minor cataract with eight
+Dongolese on the line, and one young fellow, a little
+brighter than the rest, in the boat with me and having
+just passed the worst place, a couple of the men ashore
+got to fighting and the rest let go the line either to
+part them or to join and I was left at the mercy of
+the rapid for a variety. These men were, as I said
+before, entirely unused to boats. They are all excellent
+swimmers and able to cross the river at almost
+any place. When making long distances they make
+use of the goat skin bottles they have for carrying
+water, scolding was of no use, they neither understood
+nor cared. I may here mention another peculiarity
+of theirs. I had noticed many scars on their bodies,
+but could not account for it, until one of them fell sick
+when the other cut his skin to bleed him, and filled
+the cut with sand.</p>
+
+<p>This convoy carried about sixty tons of freight, all
+of which was brought safely to the foot of Dal cataract
+and the convoy was ordered downwards again as
+far as the head of Ambigol cataract for reloading.
+As I could not trust the Dongolese in shooting the
+rapids I manned the boats with my Iroquois and
+made trips at each cataract, letting the Dongolese
+walk. It was a grand sight to see so many boats on
+their way up, some sailing, some rowing, some
+tracking and some on shore patching up.</p>
+
+<p>We reached the head of Ambigol, loaded up and
+started up stream. We made the foot of Dal with
+less trouble on this trip, the Dongolese having
+learned a great deal as well as I and my men<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span>
+knowing now some words of their language.</p>
+
+<p>On arriving at Dal, I found that this place had become
+a very busy scene. Many tents were pitched
+among which were a commissariat, a post office and a
+number of officers tents. Lord Avonmore had come
+down from the middle of the Dal cataract, next to his
+tent was that of Colonel Burnaby, then Major Mann,
+near the beach was Sir George Arthur, who had arrived
+that day from below, commanding a convoy of boats.
+On the south end of the little colony were Lord
+Charles Beresford, Col. Alleyne and Major Spaight.
+Col. Alleyne congratulated me on my success with
+the Dongolese.</p>
+
+<p>I returned for another trip, arriving back here on
+the 19th of December. The same officers were still
+here. The next morning Col. Alleyne ordered me to
+camp on the beach with my men and said we had
+had done enough of lower cataract service. At the
+same time the Dongolese, that had been with me still
+in charge of Major Crofton, were sent down to try a
+trip by themselves. It proved lucky for these men
+that the Nile does not scare them, for they had to
+swim for it on more than one occasion. However,
+they proved efficient in the end to the satisfaction of
+the officers.</p>
+
+<p>While lying on my oars I had an opportunity to
+admire the passing army, both officers and men, and
+their discipline. I did not see one private soldier who
+looked more than thirty years of age. The soldiers
+showed signs of the hard work they had done in
+getting up the Nile. Their hands were blistered
+and their clothes worn out, but they were as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span>
+cheerful and enthusiastic as ever. My orders now were
+to assist the officer in charge with my Iroquois in
+passing boats up the Dal cataract, until the last boat
+was passed. I had all my men collected here except
+four who were stationed above. During this time I
+saw Colonel Burnaby depart on his camels, Lord
+Avonmore in his boat, my old commander Col. Alleyne
+in his boat and afterwards Sir Evelyn Wood on horse-back,
+also our Canadian officer Col. Kennedy, Surgeon,
+Major Neilson and Col. Grove. The river had now
+fallen so much that there were hundreds of rocks in
+sight, in front of this station, and crocodiles could be
+seen by the dozen, sunning themselves on the rocks,
+Major Mann and Abbe Bouchard with the help of a
+powerful glass, pronounced one brute to be twenty-five
+feet long.</p>
+
+<p>The last boat that I assisted in passing was on the
+14th of January and on the 15th I received orders to
+start for Wady Halfa, which brought my active service
+in the Egyptian Expedition to a close.</p>
+
+<p>We arrived at Wady Halfa on the 18th of January
+where I found Captains Aumond and McRae and nearly
+two hundred voyageurs. At Wady Halfa I witnessed
+the military funeral of a Gordon Highlander, which
+was a novel sight to me.</p>
+
+<p>One dark night, long after the retiring bugle had
+sounded, an alarm gun was fired. I went out of my
+tent and to my astonishment I found the soldiers already
+prepared to fight. No lights had been used and it
+was a mystery to me how the men could get ready in so
+short a time. I could see that in a real attack, the
+enemy would not get much advantage over these men.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>I must mention here a curious sight I witnessed at
+the funeral of an Egyptian, before lowering the body
+into the grave they put a small coin into his mouth,
+and I found out, that their belief is, that the dead
+have to cross a river to get into the "happy hunting
+grounds" and I concluded that the ferryman, not ferrying
+on "tick" they had provided their comrade with
+his fare. Before leaving Wady Halfa, I had the
+satisfaction to see two of my Iroquois carry off the
+first prizes for running at the United Service Sports,
+held under the patronage of the Station Commandant
+Col. Duncan and the officers.</p>
+
+<p>We left Wady Halfa on the 29th January, arriving
+at Cairo, February 5th, where an opportunity was
+given us to visit the following places of interest:
+Kass el-Nil Bridge, Kass-el-Nil Barracks, Abdin Square
+and Palace, The Mosque Sultan-Hassan, the Citadel,
+the Mosque Mohamet-Ali, the Native Bazaar, the
+Esbediah Gardens, and finally Gizeh and the Pyramids.</p>
+
+<p>We sailed from Alexandria on February 6th, 1885,
+well pleased with what we had seen in the land of the
+Pharos and proud to have shown the world that the
+dwellers on the banks of the Nile, after navigating it
+for centuries, could still learn something of the craft
+from the Iroquois Indians of North America and the
+Canadian voyageurs of many races.</p>
+
+<p>I cannot conclude without expressing my satisfaction
+at the handsome treatment accorded us by the
+British Government, and should our services be of
+assistance in the proposed Fall campaign in Egypt,
+they will be freely given. We were allowed just double
+the amount of clothing stipulated in the contract, the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span>
+overcoats being given to us at Malta on our way home.</p>
+
+<p>Judging by the stores we conveyed up the Nile the
+army will not fare badly, we carried Armour's beef,
+bacon, preserved meat, mutton, vegetables, Ebswurt's
+crushed peas for soup, pickles, pepper, salt, vinegar,
+hard biscuit, cabin biscuit, flour, oatmeal, rice, sugar,
+tea, coffee, cheese, jam, medicine, lime juice, soap,
+matches, tobacco.</p>
+
+<p>Whoever designed the boats struck the right dimensions
+perfectly. Each boat was made to carry ten
+days' rations, including everything in the above list,
+for a hundred men, ten men with kits and accoutrements,
+and about a half ton of ammunition.</p>
+
+<p><br /><br /></p>
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 300px;">
+<img src="images/i049.gif" width="300" height="63" alt="FINIS" title="FINIS" />
+</div>
+
+<p><br /><br /><br /></p>
+
+<div class="tranotes">
+<span class="smcap">Transcriber's Note:</span><br /><br />
+Minor spelling and typographical errors have been corrected without
+note. Some illustrations have been moved to avoid splitting paragraphs and make smoother reading.<br /><br />
+</div>
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<pre>
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's Our Caughnawagas in Egypt, by Louis Jackson
+
+*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OUR CAUGHNAWAGAS IN EGYPT ***
+
+***** This file should be named 32995-h.htm or 32995-h.zip *****
+This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
+ https://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/9/9/32995/
+
+Produced by Peter Vickers and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was
+produced from images generously made available by The
+Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
+
+
+Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
+will be renamed.
+
+Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
+one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
+(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
+permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules,
+set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
+copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to
+protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project
+Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you
+charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you
+do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the
+rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose
+such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and
+research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do
+practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is
+subject to the trademark license, especially commercial
+redistribution.
+
+
+
+*** START: FULL LICENSE ***
+
+THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
+PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK
+
+To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free
+distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
+(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project
+Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project
+Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at
+https://gutenberg.org/license).
+
+
+Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm
+electronic works
+
+1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm
+electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
+and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
+(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all
+the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy
+all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession.
+If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the
+terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or
+entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.
+
+1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be
+used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
+agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few
+things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
+even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See
+paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement
+and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
+works. See paragraph 1.E below.
+
+1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation"
+or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the
+collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an
+individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are
+located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from
+copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative
+works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg
+are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project
+Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by
+freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of
+this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with
+the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by
+keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project
+Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others.
+
+1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
+what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in
+a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check
+the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement
+before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or
+creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project
+Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning
+the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United
+States.
+
+1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:
+
+1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate
+access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently
+whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the
+phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project
+Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed,
+copied or distributed:
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived
+from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is
+posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied
+and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees
+or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work
+with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the
+work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1
+through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the
+Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or
+1.E.9.
+
+1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted
+with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
+must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional
+terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked
+to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the
+permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.
+
+1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm
+License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
+work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm.
+
+1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
+electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
+prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
+active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
+Gutenberg-tm License.
+
+1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
+compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any
+word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or
+distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than
+"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version
+posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org),
+you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a
+copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon
+request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other
+form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm
+License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.
+
+1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
+performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works
+unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.
+
+1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
+access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided
+that
+
+- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
+ the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method
+ you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is
+ owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he
+ has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the
+ Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments
+ must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you
+ prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax
+ returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and
+ sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the
+ address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to
+ the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation."
+
+- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
+ you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
+ does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm
+ License. You must require such a user to return or
+ destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium
+ and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of
+ Project Gutenberg-tm works.
+
+- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any
+ money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
+ electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days
+ of receipt of the work.
+
+- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
+ distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works.
+
+1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm
+electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set
+forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from
+both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael
+Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the
+Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.
+
+1.F.
+
+1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
+effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
+public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm
+collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
+works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain
+"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or
+corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual
+property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a
+computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by
+your equipment.
+
+1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right
+of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
+Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
+Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
+liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
+fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
+LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
+PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
+TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
+LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
+INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
+DAMAGE.
+
+1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
+defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
+receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
+written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you
+received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with
+your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with
+the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a
+refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity
+providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to
+receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy
+is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further
+opportunities to fix the problem.
+
+1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
+in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER
+WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
+WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.
+
+1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
+warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages.
+If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the
+law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be
+interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by
+the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any
+provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.
+
+1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
+trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
+providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance
+with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production,
+promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works,
+harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees,
+that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do
+or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm
+work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any
+Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause.
+
+
+Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm
+
+Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of
+electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers
+including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists
+because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from
+people in all walks of life.
+
+Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
+assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's
+goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will
+remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project
+Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
+and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations.
+To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
+and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4
+and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org.
+
+
+Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
+Foundation
+
+The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit
+501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
+state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
+Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification
+number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at
+https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg
+Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent
+permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws.
+
+The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S.
+Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered
+throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at
+809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email
+business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact
+information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official
+page at https://pglaf.org
+
+For additional contact information:
+ Dr. Gregory B. Newby
+ Chief Executive and Director
+ gbnewby@pglaf.org
+
+
+Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
+Literary Archive Foundation
+
+Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide
+spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of
+increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
+freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest
+array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations
+($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
+status with the IRS.
+
+The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
+charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
+States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
+considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
+with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations
+where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To
+SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any
+particular state visit https://pglaf.org
+
+While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
+have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
+against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
+approach us with offers to donate.
+
+International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
+any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
+outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.
+
+Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation
+methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other
+ways including including checks, online payments and credit card
+donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate
+
+
+Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
+works.
+
+Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm
+concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared
+with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project
+Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.
+
+
+Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed
+editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S.
+unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily
+keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.
+
+
+Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility:
+
+ https://www.gutenberg.org
+
+This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm,
+including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
+Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
+subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.
+
+
+</pre>
+
+</body>
+</html>
diff --git a/32995-h/images/front.gif b/32995-h/images/front.gif
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6a4eaeb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/32995-h/images/front.gif
Binary files differ
diff --git a/32995-h/images/front2.gif b/32995-h/images/front2.gif
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cfde6cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/32995-h/images/front2.gif
Binary files differ
diff --git a/32995-h/images/front3.gif b/32995-h/images/front3.gif
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..04f719a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/32995-h/images/front3.gif
Binary files differ
diff --git a/32995-h/images/i006.gif b/32995-h/images/i006.gif
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4dbedca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/32995-h/images/i006.gif
Binary files differ
diff --git a/32995-h/images/i007.gif b/32995-h/images/i007.gif
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1b91546
--- /dev/null
+++ b/32995-h/images/i007.gif
Binary files differ
diff --git a/32995-h/images/i015a.gif b/32995-h/images/i015a.gif
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ae2f08f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/32995-h/images/i015a.gif
Binary files differ
diff --git a/32995-h/images/i015b.gif b/32995-h/images/i015b.gif
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d63478f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/32995-h/images/i015b.gif
Binary files differ
diff --git a/32995-h/images/i020a.gif b/32995-h/images/i020a.gif
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..53af62f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/32995-h/images/i020a.gif
Binary files differ
diff --git a/32995-h/images/i020b.gif b/32995-h/images/i020b.gif
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b4fc35e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/32995-h/images/i020b.gif
Binary files differ
diff --git a/32995-h/images/i028a.gif b/32995-h/images/i028a.gif
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1a0420b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/32995-h/images/i028a.gif
Binary files differ
diff --git a/32995-h/images/i028b.gif b/32995-h/images/i028b.gif
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e467dcd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/32995-h/images/i028b.gif
Binary files differ
diff --git a/32995-h/images/i034.gif b/32995-h/images/i034.gif
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8bf34b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/32995-h/images/i034.gif
Binary files differ
diff --git a/32995-h/images/i049.gif b/32995-h/images/i049.gif
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2bbb1af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/32995-h/images/i049.gif
Binary files differ
diff --git a/32995.txt b/32995.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d4a33da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/32995.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,1306 @@
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Our Caughnawagas in Egypt, by Louis Jackson
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Our Caughnawagas in Egypt
+ a narrative of what was seen and accomplished by the
+ contingent of North American Indian voyageurs who led the
+ British boat Expedition for the Relief of Khartoum up the
+ Cataracts of the Nile.
+
+Author: Louis Jackson
+
+Commentator: T. S. Brown
+
+Release Date: June 27, 2010 [EBook #32995]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OUR CAUGHNAWAGAS IN EGYPT ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Peter Vickers and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was
+produced from images generously made available by The
+Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ A narrative of what was seen and
+ accomplished by the Contingent
+ of North American Indian Voyageurs
+ who led the British Boat
+ Expedition for the Relief
+ of KHARTOUM up
+ the Cataracts of
+ the NILE.
+
+ OUR CAUGHNAWAGAS IN EGYPT.
+
+ BY
+ LOUIS JACKSON
+ OF CAUGHNAWAGA.
+
+ CAPTAIN OF THE CONTINGENT,
+
+ With an introductory Preface
+ By T. S. BROWN, Esq.
+
+ Montreal:
+ WM. DRYSDALE & CO.,
+ PUBLISHERS, BOOKSELLERS AND STATIONERS,
+ 232 ST. JAMES STREET.
+ 1885.
+
+
+
+
+ Entered according to Act of Parliament, in the year one thousand
+ eight hundred and eighty-five
+
+ BY LOUIS JACKSON,
+
+ in the Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Statistics at Ottawa.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: LOUIS JACKSON, Captain of the Contingent.]
+
+
+
+
+PREFACE.
+
+
+The Indians of Caughnawaga are an offshoot from the Mohawks, one of the
+divisions of the Six Nations, formerly in pseudo occupation of western
+New York, and known to the French by the general name of Iroquois. Long
+before the cession of this Province to Great Britain, they were settled
+at the head of the rapids of the St. Lawrence opposite Lachine, on a
+tract of land ten miles square, or 64,000 acres held in common, but
+lately separated into lots to be divided among the people as individual
+property.
+
+Contrary to what has been the too common fate of aborigines brought into
+close contact with foreigners, the Caughnawagas, with some mixture of
+white blood, have maintained throughout, their Indian customs, manners
+and language, with the manhood of their ancestors, in an alertness,
+strength and power of endurance where-ever these qualities have been
+required: in the boating or rafting on our larger rivers and the
+hardships of _Voyageurs_ in the North-West.
+
+As a high tribute to this known excellence, the call for Canadian
+_Voyageurs_ to assist in the boat navigation of the Nile was accompanied
+by a special requirement that there should be a contingent of fifty
+Caughnawagas. They responded quickly to the call, performed the task
+committed to them in a manner most satisfactory as described in these
+pages, and returned to their homes at the end of six months, after a
+voyage of more than 12,000 miles, sound and resolute as when they
+started, with the loss of but two men.
+
+There is something unique in the idea of the aborigines of the New World
+being sent for to teach the Egyptians how to pass the Cataracts of the
+Nile, which has been navigated in some way by them for thousands of
+years, that should make this little book attractive to all readers,
+especially as it is written by one born and bred in Caughnawaga, who,
+with the quick eye of an Indian, has noticed many things unnoticed by
+ordinary tourists and travellers.
+
+It is written in a most excellent spirit that might wisely be imitated
+by other travellers. The writer finds no faults, blames nobody, and
+always content, is generous in his acknowledgments for every act of
+kindness and proper consideration shown to him and his party, by Her
+Majesty's Officers of all ranks in command of the expedition. It was
+written off-hand and goes forth to the public as it came from the pen of
+the writer, to be judged in its style and the matter contained, by no
+standard but its own.
+
+MONTREAL, April, 1885.
+
+
+
+
+OUR CAUGHNAWAGAS IN EGYPT.
+
+
+When it was made known by Lord Melgund in the early part of September,
+1884, that it was the express desire of General Lord Wolseley to have
+Caughnawaga Indians form part of the Canadian Contingent, the required
+number was soon obtained, in spite of discouraging talk and groundless
+fears. Having been introduced to Lord Melgund, I agreed to go and look
+after the Caughnawaga boys, although then busily engaged in securing my
+crops. I, with a number of others reached the "Ocean King" at Quebec,
+having been left behind in Montreal through incorrect information given
+me by one of the ship's officers as to the time of sailing. We received
+the farewell of the Governor General on board the "Ocean King," and His
+Excellency's very kind words had an especially encouraging effect upon
+my boys.
+
+On reaching Sidney, B. C., and while taking in coal, some funny tricks
+were played by voyageurs which I must not omit. To get ashore in spite
+of the officers who kept watch on the wharf, some daring fellows jumped
+from the vessel's rigging into the empty coal cars returning to the
+wharf, coming back in the dark and the vessel being a few feet off the
+wharf, the men had to climb aboard by a rope. Now it happened, that of
+two friends, one was able to get up, the other was not, neither could
+his friend help him, they however, contrived a plan, which they carried
+out to perfection. The one on the wharf laid quietly down, while his
+friend climbed aboard and there informed our officers that a man had
+hurt himself by falling off the coal shoot, immediately there was great
+alarm, lamps were hung over the side and the man discovered by his
+clothes to be one of the voyageurs, a plank was shoved out over the
+ship's rail, standing nearly upright and a line hove, (some suggested to
+put the line around his neck.) However, he was hoisted aboard and
+carried towards the cabin. While being carried, the apparently lifeless
+one was seen to open his eyes three or four times, but too many hands
+evidently had hold of him and so he was brought before the doctor, who
+eagerly examined him, but soon pronounced him dead, "dead drunk" and
+ordered him to be taken to his bunk, where he soon sat up laughing and
+feeling good, to escape so easily.
+
+On arriving in Alexandria, after a fine passage and good treatment we
+saw our boats, which at the first sight and from a distance, were
+condemned by the boys, but later experience changed our first
+impression.
+
+We left the wharf at Alexandria on the 8th of October, at 11 a. m. by
+train. The first-class carriages were after the English style, but the
+troop cars in which we were transported were less comfortable, they had
+four benches placed fore and aft, two in the centre back to back and one
+on each side with back to outside, lacking the usual conveniences of our
+Canadian cars. The sides of the car were about four feet high, then open
+to the roof. We were fifty-six in a car which made it uncomfortably
+crowded. After leaving Alexandria I was surprised to see people
+standing up to their necks in the swamps, cutting some kind of grass. I
+saw also cattle lying perfectly still in the water with just their heads
+out. This sight scared my boys as to what the heat would be further
+south. Beyond the swamps on the east side of the road I saw nice
+gardens, and, what was still more interesting, groves of palm trees with
+fruit. After two hours' ride we reached the desert, where nothing but
+sand was to be seen. The whistle went all the time to warn camel
+drivers, who also use the roadbed, and I did not see any other road for
+them to travel. Another curiosity was the protective fencing for the
+road, made of cornstalks to keep back the sand, as we make board fences
+against the snow. At all the stations, which were far apart, all hands
+rushed out for a drink of water. We did not meet many trains. During the
+afternoon we came close to the Nile, which there appeared to be about
+the same width as the St. Lawrence opposite Caughnawaga. We soon reached
+a regular Egyptian settlement, with people living in small mud huts, and
+with chickens, goats, sheep and dogs coming out with the children. The
+ground appeared to be clay and in the road every three or four feet
+there was a rat hole and rats dodging in all directions. I saw more rats
+at a glance than I had ever seen before in all my life. We also saw some
+ship yards with some boats on the stocks and some on the mud. The boats
+were about twenty feet long, and one afloat appeared to be wood to
+within about four inches above water with gunwales of mud and a peculiar
+sail.
+
+The gunwales were three or four feet high and five or six inches thick.
+They appeared to be baked hard by the sun, and were water proof, as I
+afterwards saw several of them loaded so heavily that a great part of
+the mud gunwales were under water. I suppose mud is used in preference
+to wood, because wood is very scarce in Egypt and mud is very plentiful.
+They make the most of the mud which the Nile brings down in such
+quantities every year. They build houses with it as well as boats and it
+is this mud which manures and fertilizes the whole land of Egypt.
+
+We soon sighted the pyramids and came to Bulac Station three miles from
+Cairo at 7 o'clock. It being dark, supper was served which we took into
+the cars, it consisted of canned meat, bread and tea. We left at eight
+for Assiout. The sand became very troublesome entering the open cars and
+I concluded as we were travelling through the night to give my eyes a
+rest and went to sleep sitting up. Next morning at eight o'clock we
+reached Assiout about 240 miles from Alexandria, there we saw some
+Nubian prisoners, black, ugly and desperate looking fellows chained
+together with large rusty chains round their necks. They were sitting on
+the ground. We were marched about a quarter of a mile to the river,
+where there were fleets of steamers and barges, one fleet waiting for
+us. We were marched on board two barges tied together and after washing
+about half an inch of mud off our faces with Nile river water, went to
+breakfast prepared by our own cooks who had left Alexandria twelve hours
+in advance. After breakfast I went ashore, I noticed in one little mud
+hut, goats, sheep, dogs and children on the ground and there were
+flies in the children's faces and eyes beyond description. I got my
+first near view of a date tree here with its rough bark which I cut with
+my knife.
+
+[Illustration: THE PYRAMIDS OF GIZEH.]
+
+[Illustration: THE GREAT SPHINX.]
+
+The next sight was a ship yard where four or five whip saws were kept
+going; their whip saw is rigged like a bucksaw only the saw instead of
+the stick, is in the centre. There is a stick on each side of the saw
+and a string outside each stick. They had to back the saw the whole
+length of the wood to get it out. Messrs. Cook and Son the great tourist
+agents had just commenced to build a large hotel, which when returning
+home I found already finished. I noticed a sign over a mud house door
+"Egyptian Bank." A track runs from the depot straight down to the river
+and there were a number of flat cars loaded with boats, of which I took
+a nearer look, I also saw oars and poles. I was well pleased with all
+and at the same time made up my mind, that we had carried paddles across
+the ocean for very little use. I asked permission to go and see the
+catacombs, but was told that we must get under way. I received for my
+men cooking utensils, such as kettles, tin-plates, knives, forks and
+spoons, for the whole campaign, which I delivered up again, when
+returning. We started at 11 a. m., the fleet consisting of two barges
+side by side in tow of a side-wheel steamer. At the stern of each barge
+a trough, built of mud bricks, formed the cooking range, and it amused
+me to see that they had put on about half a cord of wood for cooking
+purposes, to last during the trip to Assouan, (twelve days) and this at
+once impressed me with the difference between the value of fuel in this
+country and in our own. There were thirteen gangs with their foremen on
+the barges and three gangs with foremen on the steamer. We found the
+Nile river water of good taste but muddy and we generally left it
+standing for an hour to settle. A funny sight was presented by a cow and
+a small camel harnessed to a plough. A stick crooked suitably by nature
+was laid over both necks and tied round each and a native rope was run
+from the yoke to a stick, also crooked to suit the purpose by nature,
+used as plough, scratching about two inches deep and three inches wide,
+at a speed as I judged of one acre per week. Another unusual thing was
+to see the crops in several stages of growth at the same time in
+adjoining patches, from sowing to quarter grown, half grown and ripe
+crops. This is one of the consequences of the Nubians depending upon the
+overflow of the Nile to fertilize their soil. Directly the river begins
+to fall they commence to sow their seed in the mud, it leaves behind,
+and as the water recedes they follow it up with the sowing. The crop
+farthest from the river of course gets the start.
+
+[Illustration: A DAHABEAH.]
+
+[Illustration: RAISING WATER ON THE NILE.]
+
+The next novel sight was the irrigation of the fields. To lift the water
+from the river, a frame is made by putting some cornstalks into the
+ground and putting clay round them to make posts, which are placed about
+six feet apart; the posts support a small stick, across which is laid a
+crooked pole, with about a dozen bends in it, that balances a mud basket
+on one end against a leather bucket on the other. The bucket holds about
+as much as our common well bucket, a man is continually filling from the
+river and emptying into a mud spout between the posts. The water is
+led off in a small mud conduit over the farm which is divided into
+sections, when one section is filled with water the stream is turned
+into another one. These waterworks are kept going day and night. Once in
+a while one may see cattle power used for irrigation of the following
+old fashioned kind, the yoke is hitched to a primitive cog-wheel of
+about twelve feet in diameter, which works into a smaller wheel placed
+underneath it, the cattle walking over a bridge. The cogs are simply
+pins driven into the outside of each wheel. The shaft of the smaller
+wheel runs out over a ditch cut from the river and carries a large reel
+about eighteen feet in diameter over which two native ropes are laid to
+which are attached about forty earthen jars. The cattle here are about
+the same size as ours, but they have a lump on their back and their
+horns run straight back. The colour of most of these cattle is blueish.
+Where the fertile strip of land is wide, canals are dug in curves to
+bring the water back near, to the sand mountains. The cattle feed along
+the river bank, which is left uncultivated for about twenty feet from
+the water, and I have seen a number of them of all kinds, feeding on
+this poor strip and never touch the rich crops alongside, although left
+to themselves and I was told that they were taught that way. The sheep
+look like dogs dragging long tails on the ground and the dogs look much
+like the Esquimaux dogs I have seen in Manitoba.
+
+After seven or eight days travel we left the sand mountains and began to
+see rock on both sides, more particularly on the east bank the rock
+looked to me like plaster of Paris. The natives quarried it and loaded
+it into small dibeers. "Dibeers" are sailing crafts with a small cabin
+aft, whilst, "Nuggars" are plain barges, with a very peculiar sail, the
+boom of which is rolled into the sail by way of furling the latter. I
+heard one blast go off and this being Sunday, the 19th October, I made
+up my mind that the people here have no Sundays. We passed some ruins on
+both shores, some appeared to be cut into the solid rock, which here is
+of a brownish colour. I could not tell what kind of rock but the courses
+varied from four to twenty feet as seen between the temples and they
+laid very even. The perpendicular seams were perfectly straight. The
+temples all faced the river. We also passed some immense figures, some
+standing, some sitting on chairs, some looking towards the river, some
+showing their profile, the highest of these I judged to be 60 feet high.
+It was a pity that we could not get the slightest information from the
+Egyptian crew with us, who seemed very averse to us, so much so, that I
+could not even learn their names far less any of their language. About
+this time some of the boys gave out that we would be shown the exact
+spot, where Moses was picked up, but nobody knew exactly. Our fleet did
+not run at nights, and it always happened that we halted in some
+uninhabited place, where nothing could be learned. Some of the cities we
+passed presented a beautiful appearance from the distance, temples, high
+towers and so forth all looking very white, some mud houses were two or
+three stories high and of blue mud color.
+
+At one place, the only one point where we stopped in the day time, I
+went ashore to see what was called a sacred tree. A young Christian
+Egyptian of about sixteen years, whose acquaintance I made here told me
+that the sacred tree had great healing power, and sick people would come
+and ask its help, and when cured would drive a nail into the tree as a
+memorial. The tree showed a great number of nails of all patterns, and
+it must not be forgotten that nails here are even scarcer than money. It
+is a live tree and nothing nice to look at, it rises from the ground
+about four feet straight and then lays over horizontally for about
+thirty feet, after which it turns up and throws out branches. The trunk
+is about one foot through and the bark is similar to that of our large
+thorn tree. Returning to the fleet I saw a young man lying in the dust
+on the side of the road, with his mouth open, his tongue out and his
+eyes, in fact his whole face a mass of flies, a horrible sight. A little
+girl bent over him, pointed to the sick and looked at me. My young
+Christian bade me come away saying it was a case of leprosy. My friend
+showed me a mosque and a bazaar. Coming out of the bazaar I noticed
+three men acting very queerly, walking around in front of a mud hut,
+talking dolefully or murmuring and constantly looking to the ground, and
+was told that there was a death in the family. My guide saw me back to
+the fleet and on the road asked me for a book, and I gave him one. His
+people lived in the place. The fertile strips along the river here are
+much narrower than in Lower Egypt, sometimes one-eighth of a mile wide
+sometimes only about two hundred feet, but to judge from the crops as
+well as the cattle and the food the latter find, the soil must be
+better.
+
+I should say the river is from a third of a mile to half a mile wide on
+the average from Assiout to Assouan, and very shallow, as the steamer,
+which drew about five feet of water, got aground often. We reached
+Assouan at 10 a. m. on the 21st, not without regret at having had to
+pass such famous places as Thebes and Luxor. We camped quite close to
+Thebes and there were guides waiting with candles to show us over the
+place but we had no time to spare and so were not permitted to wander
+about.
+
+We landed two miles below the city at Assouan the lower end of the track
+of the seven mile railway to Shellal passing behind Assouan. This
+railway is built to portage over the first cataract. Opposite Assouan,
+we passed the camp of the Black Watch. At Shellal, a steamer with forty
+whalers in tow received us and started at once towards Wady Halfa. We
+camped two or three miles above Shellal and were therefore deprived of
+any sight of the first cataract. Our fifty-six Caughnawaga Indians were
+given eight boats, which were towed four abreast and ten long, this was
+the first time we got into the boats. We soon made use of the awning
+provided for each. The country along the river here is all rock and as I
+was told, back of the rock all sand. Doctor Neilson informed me that we
+were now about crossing into the tropics. The natives here are
+considerably darker than the Egyptians and better built men. They were
+dressed similarly to the Egyptians. A navy pinnace overhauled us here
+bringing Abbe Bouchard who had stayed behind in Cairo. We went a good
+distance before we again met cultivated land and then only in strips,
+some of which were not twenty feet wide and they were utilized every
+inch. The natives follow the falling river with cultivation, as I
+discovered when coming back a little over three months afterwards, when
+I found crops of beans from one inch to a foot long, growing where there
+had been water. We passed miles of barren rock and then again narrow
+strips and altogether the country was poorer than Upper Egypt.
+Occasionally we would see a few date trees along the river and now and
+then a small mud-built village. Irrigation was going on the same as
+below, both by hand and by ox-power. We reached Korosko on the 24th of
+October the steamer was run with the bow on the shore, but the boats
+towed too far from shore for us to get out.
+
+Korosko is a small fort occupied by both English and Egyptian soldiers.
+The river banks around are fifteen to twenty feet high. From my whaler I
+could see a small building near the beach with a sign over the door
+marked "poste Keden" Post office. We left Korosko after an hour's
+stoppage and beached in good season, to give us a chance to cook supper.
+At every night's camp we unavoidably did more or less damage to the
+crops, which must have caused serious loss to these poor people by whom,
+as I said before, every inch of the spare soil is utilized. We got under
+way at sunrise. The river up this far from Assouan is a series of very
+straight stretches from five to fifteen miles in length with no
+difficult bends and good for navigation everywhere. The current varys
+from three to five miles an hour. During this day I noticed a small
+screw tug bearing a foresail coming after us and trying hard to reach
+us. It proved to be a press steamer having on board the correspondent of
+an English paper, an engineer and a native pilot. They ran short of coal
+and wanted a tow, and all the coal they had left when reaching us, a man
+could have put in his vest pocket. We beached this night on the west
+side close to a temple, cut, as it appeared to me into the solid rock.
+Being called to receive stores and cholera belts for the men I was
+prevented from joining an exploring party, that set out, and was told,
+when the boys came back, that I had missed something worth seeing. I
+learnt afterwards that this place was Abu-Simbel, where there are two
+temples cut out of the rock which are said to be the oldest specimens of
+architecture in the world. The boys said they had seen stone figures of
+men with toes three feet long and I dare say they were not far out, as I
+learnt there are four seated figures in front of the largest temple
+supposed to represent Rameses the Great, which are sixty five feet in
+height. I was sorry that I had to stay behind to look after the stores.
+Talking about cholera belts, everybody engaged in the British service in
+Egypt had to wear these belts, soldiers and voyageurs were supplied with
+them and required to wear them. They are strips of flannel twelve or
+fifteen inches wide, and I was told by soldiers who had served in Egypt
+some time, that they are very effective in preventing cholera and
+dysentery.
+
+[Illustration: BOAT FOR THE NILE EXPEDITION UNDER SAIL.]
+
+[Illustration: BOAT FOR THE NILE EXPEDITION SHOWING AWNING.]
+
+Next day, Sunday the 26th at 5 p. m. we arrived at Wady Halfa. The
+weather was still the same as ever since we landed at Alexandria, not a
+cloud, not uncomfortably warm, but warm enough. A steam tug came out
+from Wady Halfa and brought orders for us to proceed as far as the river
+was navigable for the steamer. This brought us about four miles above
+Wady Halfa where the tow was disbanded. The boats then proceeded another
+mile and we camped. During this mile we had the first opportunity to
+work the boats, (still all light) and that evening the opinions about
+them varied greatly.
+
+No sooner were our tents pitched than Lord Wolseley arrived. He shook
+hands with some, exchanged a few words with our commander, Colonel
+Denison, and was off again. We found here about a hundred whalers
+waiting for us. We were at the foot of the second cataract and the
+following morning were ordered to take the light boats up the cataract
+to the first naval camp, about three miles distant, to make one trip and
+if possible two. Seven men took one boat and all the crews made two
+trips, some getting through early, some late.
+
+The first trip I made, I took a different channel from those who started
+before. I stepped the two masts with which the boat was provided and
+used the sails and the six oars only, the wind being as usual from the
+north. We needed all our resources but we reached the camp in good time.
+We walked back the three miles took another boat and tried the channel
+generally taken, it being apparently the shortest route. I had to use
+the tow-line at one place where there was a "gate" or channel, as we say
+in Canada, with about three feet of a fall, about eighteen feet wide
+and a good standing place to tow from. Right there was stationed our
+acquaintance, the reporter, in his little tug moored above the gate. One
+of the voyageurs while wading must have stepped into some seam, he
+jumped quickly back into his boat, leaving behind his moccasin and said
+he was bitten by a crocodile, which all of us were kind enough to
+believe and we advised him not to wade any more. All had accomplished
+their task in the evening and come back to our camp. Soon afterwards
+General Sir Evelyn Wood arrived and went towards Colonel Denison's tent.
+I heard my name called by my officer and went before the General who
+demanded the number of my men and wanted to see them. Getting the men in
+line, the General asked me if they spoke English and I said they spoke
+enough for boating purposes, but no more. The General then left. After
+supper I was informed by my officer that I had to take thirty-five men
+with me and go about a hundred miles up the river.
+
+Here commences the second railway of the river route, about thirty miles
+long, and the first train on the following morning brought Lord Wolseley
+on his way to the front. The second train had on board, Col. Alleyne,
+Lord Avonmore, Capt. Moore, Lieut. Perry and Lieut. C. R. Orde. This
+train took me and my men on and stopped at Gemai where we found several
+boats which had been portaged on cars. We pitched tents and did not
+leave until 10 o'clock the next morning, October 29th. I picked crews as
+nearly equal as I could, with a captain to each and started with six
+boats, nearly light, only the five officers and their luggage on board.
+I had the honor to start in boat No. 1 with Col. Alleyne on board, the
+officers taking a boat each of different numbers, reached Sarras about 5
+p. m. a distance of eighteen miles. The river here is very narrow, in
+some places about a thousand feet and the current very swift. I had to
+get a line out only once. At Sarras each boat took on nearly two tons of
+ammunition and stores, also additional passengers. We proceeded two
+miles up and camped. There were many islands and rocks both in sight and
+sunken, but room enough to go anywhere. The shores are barren rock.
+Starting next day with a light breeze, I soon found that I wanted more
+wind to proceed under sail as the current grew swifter and my boat had
+now on board, besides Col. Alleyne, his servant, his interpreter, one
+corporal and one native swimmer, then myself with five men and about two
+tons of freight. This was the time to find out what we could do with our
+boats, the north wind had freshened, which gave us more speed and with
+the help of five good oars we dodged the swift currents, catching eddies
+and after two hours trial the captains congratulated each other upon
+being masters of the situation. We soon began to race, each captain
+using his own judgment as to which channel to take, which gave each a
+chance to be ahead or behind according to his luck. When I signalled for
+dinner all headed for shore and it was here that Louis Capitaine was so
+unaccountably lost, within sixty feet from shore. Louis had the bow oar
+in Peter January's boat and he rose when nearing shore. While standing
+in the bow he fell over, the headway of the boat made the distance a
+hundred feet before he was seen to rise. Lieut. Perry threw a
+life-preserver and ordered the Arab swimmer, which this boat carried, to
+assist him, the swimmer jumped immediately and swam towards the spot but
+Louis disappeared before assistance reached him. My boat was about sixty
+yards behind Peter's boat coming up in the eddy behind a rock. When
+striking the current I noticed Louis' helmet and the Arab swimmer. We
+went ashore to prepare dinner and I really believe that Colonel Alleyne,
+the officer in charge of this convoy, felt so badly about this accident,
+that he did not take anything. He hired natives to search for the body
+and give it decent burial, if found. After dinner we proceeded with one
+man short. The water not being so bad we made the Semnah cataract that
+afternoon. This cataract was thought the worst in the whole route.
+Colonel Alleyne showed me up to the gate and said "now everything is
+yours." It must be understood that this gate does by no means reach
+across the river. The river is about 1000 feet wide here and the gate
+situated between the east shore and an island is about twenty feet wide.
+Not being sure of the water I tried a light boat first. I took boat No.
+1 through without any trouble, but would not trust the full load on any
+boat. We all lightened somewhat and passed the six boats through with
+tow lines inside of an hour. The freight we had left was portaged by
+camels. We reloaded and started under sail four miles up in smooth water
+and camped. Colonel Alleyne held an inquest that night on Louis
+Capitaine's death and despatched a man to the nearest telegraph station
+with the news of his death. A few weeks after this despatch was sent,
+Colonel Kennedy showed me a copy of the Ottawa _Free Press_, in which
+the _Free Press_ made free indeed reporting Captain Louis Jackson as
+drowned. All the captains appeared pleased with their boats, talking
+about who made the best run and each boasting to have the best boat.
+From this cataract to the next one above, at Ambigol, is counted
+seventeen miles, which stretch proved much the same as below Semnah
+cataract; plenty of dodging and crossing the stream to get the side of
+the river with the lesser current, the boats being such good travellers
+and answering their helms so well with a stiff breeze, we found
+ourselves in a genuine boatman's paradise. In spite of the free wind we
+had all day, we had to get lines out and track several times. We camped
+on an island about a mile below Ambigol cataract. In the evening the
+captains argued as to which of them had run the most on sandbanks. These
+sand shoals are formed behind large rocks in a manner never seen in our
+own waters, and it was strange to notice that like situated rocks would
+not alike accumulate sand, some had shoals behind them and some had
+none, still all showed the same eddy on the water surface, and the water
+being muddy we could not tell which to trust and so gave them all wider
+berths in future.
+
+[Illustration: CATARACT OF AMBIGOL.]
+
+The following day, the 1st of November we reached the post of Ambigol
+about 8 a. m. We found this cataract different from Semnah cataract.
+This has no "gate" but a very crooked channel, swift current and very
+bad tracking. It required the combined force of thirty-five men to pull
+one boat with its full load. The cataract is one mile long and the
+roughest part is at the foot and at the head. It was in this mile of the
+route that afterwards three white men were lost. We got through this
+cataract about noon and cooked dinner just above it. It must be
+remembered that the route was entirely unknown to us all and that we had
+to find our channels and often did not take the best one. From this out
+I ordered my captains to take a different channel each, there being so
+many, so as to find the best one for future purposes. The boats being so
+equally matched, we could easily tell who had the wrong channel, for he
+was soon left astern. The officer in charge, Col. Alleyne, who is
+himself an experienced boatman, was so well pleased with our progress
+that he never interfered but left it all to us. It must also not be
+forgotten that the boys had been forty days travelling, doing no hard
+work, before we took the boats and by this time their hands were very
+sore. The rocky shores were so bold that poles could only be of use in
+keeping off and it was impossible to assist by shoving ahead.
+
+To say a word about the boats now, we all had come to the conclusion
+that the boats and outfit were well devised for the service so far. We
+had tried them now in various ways; we had sailed against a swift
+current with a beam wind, where a flat bottom would have had to be towed
+with lines, and the more this towing could be avoided the better it was
+on account of the fearful track along the shore. The boats were
+sufficiently strong for all necessary handling and in case of accident,
+they were light enough to be brought ashore and turned over for repairs
+without extra help. More difficult it was to find a good place on the
+shore where to haul a boat out. The boats were provided with two sails
+each, a sample of which (sails) I have brought home with me.
+
+We camped next on Tangur island and the following day the 2nd of
+November, we started to face the Tangur cataract. The wind being very
+strong in our favor we tried to dodge behind the many islands, but had
+to give up sailing in many places and get the lines out. We overcame
+this cataract without much difficulty. Above the cataract it was
+considered smooth water for about one mile when a very bad stretch was
+met with about half a mile long. The river here is about quarter of a
+mile wide, and full of large rocks between which the water came down
+very "wicked" in channels of about sixty feet wide and some wider. I
+again ordered each captain to pick his own channel, and having a strong
+breeze and all oars working we managed to get above. In this place I
+discovered by experience that what we had found to be the best channel
+on that day, was the worst a few days after. The water falling six
+inches to a foot every day, continually changed the rapids, making a bad
+place better and a good place bad. Above this cataract we had thirteen
+miles of what we called smooth water with a current of from three to
+five miles an hour. I had noticed in coming up that the country was
+inhabited, having seen a few Arabs now and then. We reached the foot of
+Akaska cataract that evening. On landing, the boat, which carried Lord
+Avonmore, got stove in when His Lordship took the tools and proved
+himself quite a carpenter. Here also were seen some useful stretches of
+beach under cultivation, but these were getting few and far between.
+
+Next day, the 3rd November, we faced the Akaska cataract, we were
+getting used to the river and therefore this cataract proved to be the
+easiest so far. Between Akaska and the foot of Dal cataract there are
+nine miles of good navigation, and the greater part of the beach is
+useful, this stretch looking altogether better and less wild. We reached
+the foot of Dal about noon. Dal cataract is said to be five miles long.
+In this cataract I saw for the first time, small willow trees on the
+islands. We went about half a mile up with sails and oars, when we had
+to track for quite a distance. In this rapid it happened for the first
+time that we came to a halt, not knowing how to proceed. We had crossed
+on to an island not having water enough in the little channel between
+this island and the shore, but found at the head of the island the water
+rough and the current too strong to pull against and could not proceed
+without a line to the mainshore. It was here that the foresight of
+Colonel Alleyne, proved of value. Our Arab swimmer managed to carry the
+tow line to the shore, where he made fast and we pulled ourselves up,
+carrying the end of the tow line of the next boat, which carried the
+next line and so on until the six boats were up. Half a mile further on
+we came to a place where it was impossible to proceed on this side of
+the river, there being no place for the men to stand and pull, the water
+made a kind of a fall, and it was altogether a singular place. We had to
+try the other side of the river. In crossing we met with many rocks and
+one island which offered so many favorable eddies, that we rather
+gained than lost ground. The river here is about three-quarters of a
+mile wide. On the west shore we found good tracking for about a quarter
+of a mile, when again the services of our swimmer were required. Finding
+ourselves on an island, Colonel Alleyne being an experienced boatman
+said we had done enough for that day and we camped.
+
+On Tuesday, November 4th, we started again with sails and oars. The
+river being full of islands we had not the same difficulty as the day
+before, and we reached Sarkametto about 10 a. m., well pleased to find
+ourselves at the head of these last four cataracts and congratulated
+ourselves on having brought the first six boats of the Expedition so
+far.
+
+Next morning I received orders to go down with four boats, which order
+rather disappointed me, as I had expected to go through to Dongola. I
+found out that our trip was a trial only. I took all hands into the four
+boats, the officers also coming aboard, and left at 9 a. m.
+
+Now came the tug of war, the shooting of all the cataracts. Coming up we
+used all eddies, now we had to avoid them, coming up also if unable to
+proceed we could draw back and try another channel, now, everything
+depended on quick judgment and prompt action, the more so as keel boats
+are not considered fit for rapid work. I ordered my captains to follow
+at such distances as to give them time to avoid following should the
+leading boat err in the choice of channel. After shooting the Dal
+cataract all safe I asked my captains how the boats behaved. All agreed
+that they were slow in answering their helm and required close
+watching. Travelling between the cataracts against a strong headwind was
+slow work and we longed for the next one to get along faster. Shooting
+the Dal, there had been much dodging of rocks and islands, which gave
+some excitement. In Akaska cataract we discovered a smooth, straight
+channel in the middle of the river and not very long.
+
+This shooting of the rapids was a surprise to the Egyptian soldiers, a
+number of whom were stationed at every cataract. The natives came
+rushing out of their huts with their children, goats and dogs and stood
+on the beach to see the North American Indian boatmen. I had more
+leisure now to look round. I have not seen the place yet where I would
+care to settle down.
+
+The next cataract is Tangur, which I considered the most dangerous of
+all for shooting. The river is wide and there are many islands and
+rocks, the rocks are high, and there are many channels to choose from,
+and as I had noticed coming up, many of these channels are too crooked
+for shooting especially with a keel boat, all of which makes this rapid,
+a dangerous one to shoot. The rocks hide each other and if you clear the
+first one you find yourself close on the other. A narrow escape I had on
+the east side of Tangur island. The boat following me had taken a sheer
+and was obliged to take another channel, which having a swifter current
+than the one I had taken, brought this boat up with me below the rock so
+close as nearly to cause a disaster.
+
+Colonel Alleyne ordered lunch near the place, where the steamer Gizeh
+was wrecked. We could see her high and dry on the rock, where she had
+laid some time as I was told. After lunch we started for Ambigol
+cataract. On our way we met several large nuggars with their peculiar
+sails, going at good speed. These nuggars never track but go up with a
+strong breeze. We shot Ambigol cataract between three and four o'clock
+and met five whalers at the foot of it. Colonel Alleyne ordered me to go
+ashore to speak to them. They were manned by Royal Engineers with
+foreman Graham and his voyageurs. We started again downwards and made
+Semnah cataract after sunset shortly before dark. Shooting Semnah gate,
+finished our day's work and we camped. We had made this day 61 miles.
+
+ Dal cataract 5 miles.
+ From the foot of Dal to the head of Akaska 9 "
+ Akaska cataract 1 "
+ From the foot of Akaska to Tangur 14 "
+ Tangur cataract 3 "
+ From the foot of Tangur to Ambigol 9 "
+ Ambigol cataract 1 "
+ From the foot of Ambigol to Semnah 17 "
+ Semnah cataract 2 "
+ ---
+ 61 "
+
+This day's experience decided my opinion about the boats. Many of my men
+had been portaging on the Ottawa for different lumber firms and all
+agreed with me, that whilst the Nile river boats would have been of no
+use on the Ottawa, they could not be improved upon for the Nile service
+on account of the nature of the river. For the ascents of the river as
+well as the cataracts, the sailing qualities of the boats were all
+important, and when towed by line the keel would give a chance to shoot
+out into the current to get round rocks, where a flat bottom would have
+followed the line broadside and fetched up against the rock. In shooting
+the cataracts the boats did not answer the helm as quickly as would flat
+bottoms, but this drawback was not sufficient to condemn the keel.
+
+Next day, Thursday, November 6th, we ran some more swift water to
+Sarras, nine miles below foot of Semnah. We met there thirty whalers
+with troops and stores ready to ascend. Colonel Denison asked me to give
+him one man to act as pilot, so I gave him Mathias Hill, an Iroquois.
+Colonel Denison went up with this fleet.
+
+Most of the Canadian voyageurs asked me how I found the Rapids. I told
+them that I had no trouble, considering it unadvisable to give a minute
+description, as I had already discovered how the fast falling water
+daily changed the appearance of the river, and what was a good place for
+me to go up, would be bad now, whilst a bad place might be better. I was
+well aware that these voyageurs would have more trouble than I had. They
+had not only larger loads but soldier crews, whilst I had my Caughnawaga
+boys with whom I had worked from youth up and who promptly caught at a
+sign from me, while the soldiers had to be talked to, and, although
+having the best of will, could not always comprehend the situation.
+
+After thirty whalers had started, I was informed by Lord Avon more
+of the order to camp. Next day the 7th November, another fleet of
+twenty-eight boats started, for which Lord Avonmore asked me a pilot.
+I gave him John Bruce of St. Regis.
+
+The following day, the 8th, Lord Avonmore requested of me seven men and
+a foreman, to go with him up to the Dal cataract to be stationed there,
+owing probably, as I thought to myself, that Col. Alleyne considered
+the Dal the most difficult. I pointed out Peter Canoe as the most
+experienced boatman I had, and as he does not speak English, James Deer
+went as their interpreter. I received orders for myself to go down with
+the rest of my men to Gemai. At Gemai I found twenty-three light boats
+manned by Dongolese. Placing a captain in each boat we started, but were
+disappointed to find that these men had never seen a boat nor used an
+oar. With the help of the usual north wind we managed to ascend in good
+time to Sarras. On the way up we had to teach one man to steer and then
+go round to each man and teach him to row. Neither understanding one
+word of the other's language, this was a terrible task. I had however,
+been long enough in contact with English military discipline by this
+time, to know that there was no backing out. We loaded at Sarras and
+proceeded up with Lieut. C. R. Orde as Commander of this convoy, who
+had an interpreter with him. Without the latter it would have been
+impossible to get along; as it was, some accidents could not be avoided.
+Our new commander being an experienced boatman as well as a good
+carpenter, and a gentleman we managed to keep up with the other fleets.
+To give an idea of the trouble we had, I need only say that these
+Dongolese generally understood just the contrary of what they were
+ordered to do. They would pull hard when asked to stop or stop pulling
+at some critical place when hard pulling was required. Lieut. Orde as
+well as myself were continually patching boats on account of these
+fellows. We made the nine miles from Sarras to Semnah in just six days,
+whereas we had travelled before at the rate of seventy miles in five
+days. At Semnah Lieut. Orde reported to Commander Hammill, R. N., in
+charge of Semnah cataract, Commander Hammill informed me that my plan of
+ascending Semnah gate was adopted by all the others, he also asked me if
+I thought I should be able to make boatmen of the Dongolese, I told him
+I was discouraged and the only consolation I had was that my Dongolese
+convoy was still travelling as fast as the other fleets in spite of my
+strict orders always to give the right of way to boats manned by
+soldiers and to avoid retarding them in the cataracts.
+
+Reaching Ambigol November 19th, during this day I was requested to
+assist in pulling off a steam pinnace which had run on the rocks and
+filled, blocking the small channel for steamers to ascend. I having 175
+Dongolese with my Caughnawaga boys and about 200 Egyptian soldiers they
+parted the hawser on the first pull, while getting another hawser Col.
+Butler arrived in a whaler from Sarras with a crew of Kroomen, with
+Chief Prince of Manitoba as captain. Col. Butler ordered us to abandon
+the wreck and explore another channel on the opposite side of the river,
+I unloaded my boat manned by Caughnawagas and with Lieut. Orde, went
+across, after half a day's search found a very crooked channel which
+afterwards 4 or 5 steamers ascended successfully.
+
+At Tangur it was found advisable to split the convoy, Major Crofton
+taking 10 boats and Lieut. Orde the rest. Going up some minor cataract
+with eight Dongolese on the line, and one young fellow, a little
+brighter than the rest, in the boat with me and having just passed the
+worst place, a couple of the men ashore got to fighting and the rest let
+go the line either to part them or to join and I was left at the mercy
+of the rapid for a variety. These men were, as I said before, entirely
+unused to boats. They are all excellent swimmers and able to cross the
+river at almost any place. When making long distances they make use of
+the goat skin bottles they have for carrying water, scolding was of no
+use, they neither understood nor cared. I may here mention another
+peculiarity of theirs. I had noticed many scars on their bodies, but
+could not account for it, until one of them fell sick when the other cut
+his skin to bleed him, and filled the cut with sand.
+
+This convoy carried about sixty tons of freight, all of which was
+brought safely to the foot of Dal cataract and the convoy was ordered
+downwards again as far as the head of Ambigol cataract for reloading. As
+I could not trust the Dongolese in shooting the rapids I manned the
+boats with my Iroquois and made trips at each cataract, letting the
+Dongolese walk. It was a grand sight to see so many boats on their way
+up, some sailing, some rowing, some tracking and some on shore patching
+up.
+
+We reached the head of Ambigol, loaded up and started up stream. We made
+the foot of Dal with less trouble on this trip, the Dongolese having
+learned a great deal as well as I and my men knowing now some words of
+their language.
+
+On arriving at Dal, I found that this place had become a very busy
+scene. Many tents were pitched among which were a commissariat, a post
+office and a number of officers tents. Lord Avonmore had come down from
+the middle of the Dal cataract, next to his tent was that of Colonel
+Burnaby, then Major Mann, near the beach was Sir George Arthur, who had
+arrived that day from below, commanding a convoy of boats. On the south
+end of the little colony were Lord Charles Beresford, Col. Alleyne and
+Major Spaight. Col. Alleyne congratulated me on my success with the
+Dongolese.
+
+I returned for another trip, arriving back here on the 19th of December.
+The same officers were still here. The next morning Col. Alleyne ordered
+me to camp on the beach with my men and said we had done enough of
+lower cataract service. At the same time the Dongolese, that had been
+with me still in charge of Major Crofton, were sent down to try a trip
+by themselves. It proved lucky for these men that the Nile does not
+scare them, for they had to swim for it on more than one occasion.
+However, they proved efficient in the end to the satisfaction of the
+officers.
+
+While lying on my oars I had an opportunity to admire the passing army,
+both officers and men, and their discipline. I did not see one private
+soldier who looked more than thirty years of age. The soldiers showed
+signs of the hard work they had done in getting up the Nile. Their hands
+were blistered and their clothes worn out, but they were as cheerful
+and enthusiastic as ever. My orders now were to assist the officer in
+charge with my Iroquois in passing boats up the Dal cataract, until the
+last boat was passed. I had all my men collected here except four who
+were stationed above. During this time I saw Colonel Burnaby depart on
+his camels, Lord Avonmore in his boat, my old commander Col. Alleyne in
+his boat and afterwards Sir Evelyn Wood on horse-back, also our Canadian
+officer Col. Kennedy, Surgeon, Major Neilson and Col. Grove. The river
+had now fallen so much that there were hundreds of rocks in sight, in
+front of this station, and crocodiles could be seen by the dozen,
+sunning themselves on the rocks, Major Mann and Abbe Bouchard with the
+help of a powerful glass, pronounced one brute to be twenty-five feet
+long.
+
+The last boat that I assisted in passing was on the 14th of January and
+on the 15th I received orders to start for Wady Halfa, which brought my
+active service in the Egyptian Expedition to a close.
+
+We arrived at Wady Halfa on the 18th of January where I found Captains
+Aumond and McRae and nearly two hundred voyageurs. At Wady Halfa I
+witnessed the military funeral of a Gordon Highlander, which was a novel
+sight to me.
+
+One dark night, long after the retiring bugle had sounded, an alarm gun
+was fired. I went out of my tent and to my astonishment I found the
+soldiers already prepared to fight. No lights had been used and it was a
+mystery to me how the men could get ready in so short a time. I could
+see that in a real attack, the enemy would not get much advantage over
+these men.
+
+I must mention here a curious sight I witnessed at the funeral of an
+Egyptian, before lowering the body into the grave they put a small coin
+into his mouth, and I found out, that their belief is, that the dead
+have to cross a river to get into the "happy hunting grounds" and I
+concluded that the ferryman, not ferrying on "tick" they had provided
+their comrade with his fare. Before leaving Wady Halfa, I had the
+satisfaction to see two of my Iroquois carry off the first prizes for
+running at the United Service Sports, held under the patronage of the
+Station Commandant Col. Duncan and the officers.
+
+We left Wady Halfa on the 29th January, arriving at Cairo, February 5th,
+where an opportunity was given us to visit the following places of
+interest: Kass el-Nil Bridge, Kass-el-Nil Barracks, Abdin Square and
+Palace, The Mosque Sultan-Hassan, the Citadel, the Mosque Mohamet-Ali,
+the Native Bazaar, the Esbediah Gardens, and finally Gizeh and the
+Pyramids.
+
+We sailed from Alexandria on February 6th, 1885, well pleased with what
+we had seen in the land of the Pharos and proud to have shown the world
+that the dwellers on the banks of the Nile, after navigating it for
+centuries, could still learn something of the craft from the Iroquois
+Indians of North America and the Canadian voyageurs of many races.
+
+I cannot conclude without expressing my satisfaction at the handsome
+treatment accorded us by the British Government, and should our services
+be of assistance in the proposed Fall campaign in Egypt, they will be
+freely given. We were allowed just double the amount of clothing
+stipulated in the contract, the overcoats being given to us at Malta on
+our way home.
+
+Judging by the stores we conveyed up the Nile the army will not fare
+badly, we carried Armour's beef, bacon, preserved meat, mutton,
+vegetables, Ebswurt's crushed peas for soup, pickles, pepper, salt,
+vinegar, hard biscuit, cabin biscuit, flour, oatmeal, rice, sugar, tea,
+coffee, cheese, jam, medicine, lime juice, soap, matches, tobacco.
+
+Whoever designed the boats struck the right dimensions perfectly. Each
+boat was made to carry ten days' rations, including everything in the
+above list, for a hundred men, ten men with kits and accoutrements, and
+about a half ton of ammunition.
+
+FINIS.
+
+
+
+
+Transcriber's Notes: Minor spelling and typographical errors have been
+corrected without note. Some Illustrations have been moved to avoid
+splitting paragraphs and make smoother reading. Obvious errors have been
+corrected. Italic text in the original has been enclosed by '_'.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's Our Caughnawagas in Egypt, by Louis Jackson
+
+*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OUR CAUGHNAWAGAS IN EGYPT ***
+
+***** This file should be named 32995.txt or 32995.zip *****
+This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
+ https://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/9/9/32995/
+
+Produced by Peter Vickers and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was
+produced from images generously made available by The
+Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
+
+
+Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
+will be renamed.
+
+Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
+one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
+(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
+permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules,
+set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
+copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to
+protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project
+Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you
+charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you
+do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the
+rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose
+such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and
+research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do
+practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is
+subject to the trademark license, especially commercial
+redistribution.
+
+
+
+*** START: FULL LICENSE ***
+
+THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
+PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK
+
+To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free
+distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
+(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project
+Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project
+Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at
+https://gutenberg.org/license).
+
+
+Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm
+electronic works
+
+1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm
+electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
+and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
+(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all
+the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy
+all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession.
+If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the
+terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or
+entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.
+
+1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be
+used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
+agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few
+things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
+even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See
+paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement
+and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
+works. See paragraph 1.E below.
+
+1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation"
+or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the
+collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an
+individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are
+located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from
+copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative
+works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg
+are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project
+Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by
+freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of
+this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with
+the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by
+keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project
+Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others.
+
+1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
+what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in
+a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check
+the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement
+before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or
+creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project
+Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning
+the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United
+States.
+
+1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:
+
+1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate
+access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently
+whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the
+phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project
+Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed,
+copied or distributed:
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived
+from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is
+posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied
+and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees
+or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work
+with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the
+work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1
+through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the
+Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or
+1.E.9.
+
+1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted
+with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
+must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional
+terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked
+to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the
+permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.
+
+1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm
+License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
+work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm.
+
+1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
+electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
+prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
+active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
+Gutenberg-tm License.
+
+1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
+compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any
+word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or
+distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than
+"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version
+posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org),
+you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a
+copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon
+request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other
+form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm
+License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.
+
+1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
+performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works
+unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.
+
+1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
+access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided
+that
+
+- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
+ the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method
+ you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is
+ owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he
+ has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the
+ Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments
+ must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you
+ prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax
+ returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and
+ sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the
+ address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to
+ the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation."
+
+- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
+ you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
+ does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm
+ License. You must require such a user to return or
+ destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium
+ and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of
+ Project Gutenberg-tm works.
+
+- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any
+ money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
+ electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days
+ of receipt of the work.
+
+- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
+ distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works.
+
+1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm
+electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set
+forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from
+both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael
+Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the
+Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.
+
+1.F.
+
+1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
+effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
+public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm
+collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
+works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain
+"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or
+corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual
+property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a
+computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by
+your equipment.
+
+1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right
+of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
+Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
+Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
+liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
+fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
+LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
+PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
+TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
+LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
+INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
+DAMAGE.
+
+1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
+defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
+receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
+written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you
+received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with
+your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with
+the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a
+refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity
+providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to
+receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy
+is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further
+opportunities to fix the problem.
+
+1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
+in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER
+WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
+WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.
+
+1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
+warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages.
+If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the
+law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be
+interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by
+the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any
+provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.
+
+1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
+trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
+providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance
+with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production,
+promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works,
+harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees,
+that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do
+or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm
+work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any
+Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause.
+
+
+Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm
+
+Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of
+electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers
+including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists
+because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from
+people in all walks of life.
+
+Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
+assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's
+goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will
+remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project
+Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
+and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations.
+To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
+and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4
+and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org.
+
+
+Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
+Foundation
+
+The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit
+501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
+state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
+Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification
+number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at
+https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg
+Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent
+permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws.
+
+The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S.
+Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered
+throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at
+809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email
+business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact
+information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official
+page at https://pglaf.org
+
+For additional contact information:
+ Dr. Gregory B. Newby
+ Chief Executive and Director
+ gbnewby@pglaf.org
+
+
+Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
+Literary Archive Foundation
+
+Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide
+spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of
+increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
+freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest
+array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations
+($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
+status with the IRS.
+
+The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
+charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
+States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
+considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
+with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations
+where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To
+SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any
+particular state visit https://pglaf.org
+
+While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
+have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
+against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
+approach us with offers to donate.
+
+International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
+any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
+outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.
+
+Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation
+methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other
+ways including including checks, online payments and credit card
+donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate
+
+
+Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
+works.
+
+Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm
+concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared
+with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project
+Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.
+
+
+Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed
+editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S.
+unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily
+keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.
+
+
+Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility:
+
+ https://www.gutenberg.org
+
+This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm,
+including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
+Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
+subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.
diff --git a/32995.zip b/32995.zip
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1cb01a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/32995.zip
Binary files differ
diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6312041
--- /dev/null
+++ b/LICENSE.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements,
+metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be
+in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES.
+
+Procedures for determining public domain status are described in
+the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org.
+
+No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in
+jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize
+this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright
+status under the laws that apply to them.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3611dd8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for
+eBook #32995 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/32995)