|
The vessels used in Egypt for the transport of merchandise are made of
the Acantha (Thorn), a tree which in its growth is very like the
Cyrenaic lotus, and from which there exudes a gum. They cut a
quantity of planks about two cubits in length from this tree, and then
proceed to their ship-building, arranging the planks like bricks, and
attaching them by ties to a number of long stakes or poles till the hull
is complete, when they lay the cross-planks on the top from side to
side. They give the boats no ribs, but caulk the seams with papyrus
on the inside. Each has a single rudder, which is driven straight
through the keel. The mast is a piece of acantha-wood, and the sails
are made of papyrus. These boats cannot make way against the current
unless there is a brisk breeze; they are, therefore, towed up-stream
from the shore: down-stream they are managed as follows. There is a
raft belonging to each, made of the wood of the tamarisk, fastened
together with a wattling of reeds; and also a stone bored through the
middle about two talents in weight. The raft is fastened to the vessel
by a rope, and allowed to float down the stream in front, while the
stone is attached by another rope astern. The result is that the
raft, hurried forward by the current, goes rapidly down the river,
and drags the "baris" (for so they call this sort of boat) after
it; while the stone, which is pulled along in the wake of the vessel,
and lies deep in the water, keeps the boat straight. There are a vast
number of these vessels in Egypt, and some of them are of many
thousand talents' burthen.
|
|