n beauty, it was chosen by the sheiks without a dissentient voice.

I hastened home to my wife, overjoyed with my good fortune, which I
hoped would bring a blessing upon my house. She was equally delighted,
and my beautiful camel seemed also to be aware of the honour to which he
was destined, as he repaid our caresses, curving and twisting his long
neck, and laying his head upon our shoulders.

The caravan assembled: it was one of the largest which for many years
had quitted Cairo, amounting in all to eighteen thousand camels. You may
imagine my pride when, as the procession passed through the streets, I
pointed out to my wife the splendid animal, with his bridle studded with
jewels and gold, led by the holy sheiks in their green robes, carrying
on his back the chest which contained the law of our prophet, looking
proudly on each side of him as he walked along, accompanied by bands of
music, and the loud chorus of the singing men and women.

As on the ensuing day the caravan was to form outside of the town, I
returned home to my family, that I might have the last of their company,
having left my other camels, who were hired by the pilgrims, in charge
of an assistant who accompanied me in my journeys. The next morning I
bade adieu to my wife and children; and was quitting the house, when my
youngest child, who was about two years old, called to me, and begged me
to return one moment, and give her a farewell caress. As I lifted her in
my arms, she, as usual, put her hand into the pocket of my loose jacket
to search, as I thought, for the fruit that I usually brought home for
her when I returned from the bazaar; but there was none there: and
having replaced her in the arms of her mother, I hastened away that I
might not be too late at my post. Your highness is aware that we do not
march one following another, as most caravans do, but in one straight
line abreast. The necessary arrangement occupies the whole day previous
to the commencement of our journey, which takes place immediately after
the sun goes down. We set off that evening, and after a march of two
nights, arrived at Adjeroid, where we remained three days, to procure
our supplies of water from Suez, and to refresh the animals, previous to
our forced march over the desert of El Tyh.

The last day of our repose, as I was smoking my pipe, with my camels
kneeling down around me, I perceived a herie[1] coming from the
direction of Cairo, at a very swift pace; it pas