A Trip to the Orient: The Story of a Mediterranean Cruise

by Robert Urie Jacob

ALL EYES WERE FIXED ON THE MAGICIAN'S MOVEMENTSALL EYES WERE FIXED ON THE MAGICIAN'S MOVEMENTS.

During the latter part of our sail down the Nile, where the river broadened and was shallow, we had some interesting experiences with sandbars.

"This is the Amasis' last trip of the season," said one of the officers as we stood on the upper deck at the bow of the steamer watching two sailors poling below. "The Nile always falls rapidly in the spring, the channels change, new sandbars form, and navigation becomes difficult. The water is now very low, and we have to be careful and alert wherever the river broadens as it does here before us."

On account of the indications of shallowness ahead the Amasis was steaming very slowly, occasionally merely drifting with the current. The two Arab boatmen stationed in the bow continually tested the depth of the water with poles and shouted in Arabic the results of their measurements to the anxious commander on the deck above. Notwithstanding these precautions, our steamer occasionally scraped on the sandbars, sometimes sticking on them for a short time.

"Surely this is an unlucky day," exclaimed the captain later, looking at his watch as we came within sight of a railroad bridge with a draw in it that was then being closed for an approaching train. "It is now four o'clock, and, according to the official rules, that drawbridge is closed for the day and will not be opened for steamers to pass through until nine o'clock to-morrow morning. We shall have to anchor here until that time. That last stop of half an hour on the sandbar robs us of half a day's time."

SHOVING FROM ITS DECK WITH LONG POLES.

The delay at the bridge was provoking, but a greater test of the temper of the officers and patience of the passengers was to come. On Friday morning while at breakfast we felt a jar that caused the vessel suddenly to stop. We heard an unusual puffing of the engine and felt vibrations that caused the steamer to tremble and the dishes to rattle.

"What's the matter? What's the trouble?" cried several.