and
from Trieste, on the following day, sail was made on board H.M.S.
_Ariadne_ and Alexandria reached on February 3rd.

TRIP UP THE NILE

After their formal reception at Alexandria by Mehemet Tewfik Pasha,
Shereef Pasha, Mourad Pasha, Sir Samuel Baker and others, the Prince
and Princess proceeded to Cairo where they were warmly welcomed by the
Khedive, and met by the Duke of Sutherland and his son, Lord Stafford,
Professor Owen, Colonel Marshall and the special correspondent, Dr. W.
H. Russell. The latter gentlemen joined the Royal party and were to
proceed with them on the journey up the Nile together with Prince Louis
of Battenberg and Lord Albert Gower. Before starting on this voyage,
however, the Prince and Princess were privileged in witnessing the
curious Procession of the Holy Carpet and the departure of a portion of
the annual stream of pilgrims for Mecca. The Princess and Mrs. Grey were
also invited, on February 5th, to dine at the Harem with the Khedive's
mother and the ceremonies, as described by Mrs. Grey in her _Diary_ of
the tour, were exceedingly interesting. A multitude of smartly dressed
female slaves in coloured satin and gold; services of silver and gold;
dishes of the most peculiar and varied composition and taste; music by
bands of girls and dances by other bands of women--some of whose motions
were described by Mrs. Grey as graceful and others as "simply
frightful;" drinks of curious character and pipes and cigarettes with
holders ornamented by masses of precious gems; costumes which partook of
both the Eastern and Western character; jewels and gold in every
direction and upon every possible kind of object--such were some of the
things seen during the visit. In the evening of the same day the Royal
couple and suite went to the theatre, and afterwards the Prince had
supper with the Khedive at the Palace of Gizerek, accompanied with
elaborate ceremonies and a succession of dancing spectacles.

Meanwhile, every care had been exercised by the Khedive in preparing
comforts for the Royal guests up the Nile. The chief barge was occupied
by the Prince and Princess and the Hon. Mrs. Grey, who was in attendance
upon the latter; a second was occupied by the Suite; a third by the Duke
of Sutherland's party; a fourth was used as a store-boat and contained
3,000 bottles of champagne, 20,000 bottles of soda-water, 4,000 bottles
of claret and plenty of ale, liquors and light wines. Sir Samuel Baker,
who was