During the 1990s McDonnell Douglas, Southwestern Bell and Boatmen's Bancshares closed their headquarters after being acquired.

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'Sundown is my favourite moment to be on the water, ' says Jelal, one of Aswan's many boatmen.

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Cities were sharply divided between the upper classes on high and the transient population of boatmen and gamblers that made them rich.

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The cliffs soar above the long narrow boats that transport goods and people to the outlying settlements along the river, the boatmen navigating treacherous looking rapids with nonchalant ease.

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They also help banks to push their products to a broader range of customers: one factor behind NationsBank's profits growth was cross-selling through Boatmen's, a bank it acquired last year.

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The local boatmen, called mallahs, were so bemused by Mr Turner's idea that they allowed him to ferry people for free in a very competitive market crowded by hundreds of oared and motor-powered boats of various sizes.

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