The men were then obliged to wade hip-deep, and to tow the vessels round
the banks.
I never saw the people in such high spirits. They were not contented
with a walking pace, but they raced with each other, splashing through
the water, and hurrying round the points of the sand-banks, until they
once more reached dry ground. Then even the women and boys jumped
ashore, and laying hold of the tow-rope, joined the men in singing; and
running forward along the hard bank they made the diahbeeah surge
through the water.
This fun had continued for some hours, and I rejoiced that all hearts
seemed to have at length united in the work. I had no fanatics with me.
The black officers were excellent fellows now that they were relieved
from a certain influence at head-quarters. Abd-el-Kader was as true as
gold. Monsoor was a Christian, - and my "Forty Thieves" were stanch,
brave fellows who would go through fire.
Ali Nedjar was, as usual, revelling in strength and activity, and was
now foremost in the work of towing the diahbeeah.
A sudden bend in the river had caused a small sand-bank. It was
necessary to descend from the high shore to tow the vessel round the
promontory.
Men, women, and children, jumped down and waded along the edge of the
bank.
As the diahbeeah turned the sharp point, I noticed that the water was
exceedingly deep close to the sand-bank, and the stream was running like
a mill race.
Fearing some accident to the children, I ordered all who could not swim
to come on board the diahbeeah. At that time the bow of the vessel was
actually touching the sand, but the stern, having swung out in the
stream, might have been about fifteen feet from the edge of the bank in
very deep water.
When the order was given to come on board, many of the people, in the
ebullition of spirits, leapt heedlessly into the water amidships,
instead of boarding the vessel by the fore part, which touched the sand.
These were dragged on board with considerable difficulty.
The boy Saat would have been drowned had not Monsoor saved him. In the
confusion, when several were struggling in the water, I noticed Ali
Nedjar, who could not swim, battling frantically with his hands in such
a manner that I saw the poor fellow had lost his head. He was not three
feet from the vessel's side.
My four life-buoys were hung on open hooks at the four corners of the
poop-deck; thus, without one moment's delay, I dropped a buoy almost
into his hands. This he immediately seized with both arms, and I, of
course, thought he was safe:
