The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-03-25
Passage Of sne First Casar.e, Of the ma,

90 Senue ana SO oeautfui, should Perish win
the flowers.
Pas age Of the First Cataract Of the Nsse.
We had been told that strong wind
was necessary TO carry us through, as for the
greater pan Of the way tracking is out OF
the question; and that travellers are fire.
quently delayed for days and weeks, await
Ing that indispensable auxiliary. But on
the morning after our arrival at Es-souan,
the suspicious wind set in, and everything au-
cured aProsperous ascent. At ten o clock yes
terday morning, the Refs Of the Cataract took
possession Of the Dahabieh with twenty Of
his men, las many as We could we'll accom-.
mediate in addition TO our own crew, the re-
naming eighty being sent on to the poin;
where their services would be more imine-
diaiel y Iequired), and We started with all
our sails set, and quickly left the town Of
Es-soUan behind US. And soon the wild
ness OF the Cataract burst upon us in all its
splendor, after the tame scenery which
characterizes the banks of the Nile from
Alexandra TO Essouan, it was quite refresh
ing TO our eyes TO rest upon something rug
eed, and differing in form from the eternal
dhOTd fields and palm-trees The com
mencement Of the Cataract presents COM
Plete Archipelago of granite rocks, some
red, Others black, and shining in the sun, as
though highly polished, with various torrents
rushing between them in all directions
These rocks are Of the most extraordinary
forms; now awful, now grotesque, they look
As old as the earth irself-the skeletons Of
the sntediluvian world On the western
shore the sands of the Great Desert, yellow
as gold, and rippled by the action of the
winds into wsyelets, descend to the water
edge interspersed with great masses of black
bssalt on the east, rock rises above rock
Of granite, piled up in such strange and IN
coulh forms, that one is led to attribute to
some terrific volcanic eruption--to one OF
those early revolutions Of the elements
which changed the surface of the globe, the
creation Of that chaotic wilderness.
The breeze held strong; and well ii was that
il did 50, for | cannot conceive how destruc-
ton could be avoided, il, for one moment, the
imPelling power should be overcome by the
resistance Of the torrent we were driven
through Here and there or course lay
between rocks narrowing 50 closely togeth-
er, and towering to suck height, that the
wind was momentarily taken out Of our
sails, and, assure you, such moments were
swful, for it was Just struggle whether
the impetus with which we entered the mar
row pass would carry us through il or not.
And often there was a momentary pause,
when that struggle rendered the boat sta
tionary, while the sails futtered ike an ex-
piring pulse; but again the breeze filled
them, and the screams and shouts of the two
crews would be converted into an hurrah of
confidence and triumph. At each Of those
intervals, our good Refs Ali would leave
bis post at the prov Of the vessel, in order
10 give mo assurances OF safety, and encour
age me with a cheerful 'Taieeb, Taieebr
Every well, very good,) by which kind pro-
cess ] became convinced, that not only had
We already encountered some danger, but
that more lay before us-a conviction but
TOO well founded, as you will soon see. /
had established for myself test Of the safe
ty Of our progress, which inspired me with
more confidence than the friendly visits of
Refs Ali; and this was our excellent cook
Hadgee Mustapha, whose little portable
kitchen, in which he performs such great
feats. is placed just opposite to the awning
where ! was standing. There he was, fixed
to his post, and, in the midst of the deafen-
ing noise and hustle around, imperturabIy
making preparations for dinner, which be-
gan to think it doubtful that we should ever
est. But his unrufned sang froid satisfied
me that he, who is Nile bird, thought that
there was no danger; and, in my fancied Sc
curIty, | lost sight Of the fact that as a Mos
lem, and Fatalist-above all as a cook
he was in religion and honor bound to show
an immovable conference.-the leave the
boat to Its fate, and to stick to his casseroIes,
and snap his fingers at the Cataracts.
thus matters stood at noon; and. in re-
ply 10 the anxious inquiries I addressed TO
Mohammed, he declared that we should
soon arrive at that part of the Cataract cal.
led the BAD. or gate, where the eighty men
were stationed to track the boat I'D the ran. |
IDS and, that operation once achieved, halfl
an hour would bring us to the island oil
Phila, where all our troubles would be over.
Scarcely had he made me that assurance |
when the Swift entered one of those short
but furious torrents. through which the prac.
tcable channel lies. A scene of general
confusion ensued; heard the voice Of every
man OF the two crews screaming in angry
vociferation, and the hoarse shouts of the
keis, loud above the rest saw Moham.
med draw his sabre, and rush towards the
spot whsre the Refs of the Cstaract's pilot