Our Caughnawagas in Egypt a narrative of what was seen and accomplished by the contingent of North American Indian voyageurs who led the British boat Expedition for the Relief of Khartoum up the Cataracts of the Nile.

A small band of Caughnawaga voyageurs—descendants of the Mohawk nation—answer a call from the British army to guide a relief expedition up the Nile’s treacherous cataracts. Led by their captain, the men bring the hardy river‑craft skills honed on the St. Lawrence and the Canadian wilderness to a land where ancient monuments dominate the horizon. Their presence offers a striking contrast between New World endurance and the centuries‑old Egyptian waterways, and the narrative captures the first weeks of their journey, from the departure in Quebec to the uneasy arrival at the Egyptian shore.

The account is filled with vivid observations of the pyramids, the Great Sphinx, and the bustling life along the riverbanks, filtered through the keen eye of a native storyteller. Lighthearted incidents on board the ship reveal the voyageurs’ playful ingenuity, while their respectful interactions with British officers underscore a spirit of cooperation. Readers gain a fresh perspective on a historic rescue mission, seeing familiar landmarks anew through the eyes of those who first mastered the art of navigating wild rivers.