Moreover, this hue, which grew ever deeper, was travelling up stream, not down, against the course of nature, and could not therefore have been caused by red soil washed from the southern lands.

The bargemen stared and muttered together.

Then one of them, leaning over the side, scooped up water in the hollow of his hand and drew some into his mouth, only to spit it out again with a cry of fear.
"'Tis blood," he cried.

"Blood! Osiris has been slain afresh, and his holy blood fills the banks of Nile." So much were they afraid, indeed, that had I not forced them to hold to their course they would have turned and rowed up stream, or beached the boat and fled into the desert.

But I cried to them to steer on northwards, for thus perhaps we should sooner be done with this horror, and they obeyed me.