The houses, if such they might be called, were
huddled upon the side of a cliff; their mud walls, covered on the top
with a few reeds or a little straw, looking like the cliff itself. A
few irregular holes served for doors and windows; but more uncouth,
miserable hovels could not have been seen amongst the wildest savages.
Some of these places I perceived had a small court-yard attached, the
hut being at the end, and only distinguishable by a poor attempt at a
roof, the greater part of which had fallen in.
We were here obliged to leave our boat; landing on the opposite side
to this village, and walking a short distance, we found ourselves
upon the banks of the Nile. The place was in great confusion, in
consequence of the actual presence of the Pasha, who, for himself
and suite, we were told, had engaged every boat excepting the one
belonging to Mr. Waghorn, in which the mails, entrusted to him, had
been put. As it was impossible that four ladies, for our friends had
now joined us, with their European female servant and the baby, could
be accommodated in this small vessel, we despatched our janissary,
with a letter in the Turkish language to the governor of Atfee, with
which we had been provided at Alexandria, and we were immediately
politely informed that the best boat attainable should be at our
disposal.
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