walk through the
streets of Cairo is superb. Her hand resting on his shoulder, and
scarcely deigning to cover her haughty face, she looks down on the
Egyptian veiled woman who carries the heavy burden and walks behind her
lord and master.

By no deed of my own have I become a slave-owner. The American
Consul-General turned over to me a black girl of eight or nine, and in
consequence of her reports the poor little black boy who is the slave and
marmiton of the cook here has been entreating Omar to beg me to buy him
and take him with me. It is touching to see the two poor little black
things recounting their woes and comparing notes. I went yesterday to
deposit my cooking things and boat furniture at my washerwoman's house.
Seeing me arrive on my donkey, followed by a cargo of household goods,
about eight or ten Arab women thronged round delighted at the idea that I
was coming to live in their quarter, and offering me neighbourly
services. Of course all rushed upstairs, and my old washerwoman was put
to great expense in pipes and coffee. I think, as you, that I must have
the 'black drop,' and that the Arabs see it, for I am always told that I
am like them, with praises of my former good looks. 'You were beautiful
Hareem once.' Nothing is more striking to me than the way in which one
is constantly reminded of Herodotus. The Christianity and the Islam of
this country are full of the ancient worship, and the sacred animals have
all taken service with Muslim saints. At Minieh one reigns over
crocodiles; higher up I saw the hole of AEsculapius' serpent at Gebel
Sheykh Hereedee, and I fed the birds--as did Herodotus--who used to tear
the cordage of boats which refused to feed them, and who are now the
servants of Sheykh Naooneh, and still come on board by scores for the
bread which no Reis dares refuse them. Bubastis' cats are still fed in
the Cadi's court at public expense in Cairo, and behave with singular
decorum when 'the servant of the cats' serves them their dinner. Among
gods, Amun Ra, the sun-god and serpent-killer, calls himself Mar Girgis
(St. George), and is worshipped by Christians and Muslims in the same
churches, and Osiris holds his festivals as riotously as ever at Tanta in
the Delta, under the name of Seyd el Bedawee. The _fellah_ women offer
sacrifices to the Nile, and walk round ancient statues in order to have
children. The ceremonies at births and burials are not Muslim, but
ancient Egyptian.