They were never idle for a single day. If no other work
was on hand, I practised them at the target, or they were treated to a
few hours' drill.
Sometimes I took them fishing: this was always a great amusement, as the
expedition was well furnished with nets.
There was a small lake near my station that abounded in fish. One of my
sailors belonging to the diahbeeah was a professional fisherman,
descended from a race of this calling. I had therefore intrusted him
with the charge of the nets. All the sailors of the diahbeeah were good
men, but the fisherman, Howarti, was the best of the picked crew. He was
a Nubian, born in Khartoum, and of an exceedingly light colour. His
style of beauty was rather spoiled by the loss of one eye, and
altogether his personal appearance was not attractive; but he was very
strong, although a small man, and in any case of emergency he was the
most active and intelligent sailor. Howarti was always the first man to
leap overboard with the tow rope, when it became necessary to drag the
vessel against wind and stream: he was, like all Nubians, an admirable
swimmer.
