_October_ 22, 1868.

DEAREST ALICK,

The unlucky journey to Syria almost cost me my life. The climate is
absolute poison to consumptive people. In ten days after I arrived the
doctor told me to settle my affairs, for I had probably only a few days
to live, and certainly should never recover. However I got better, and
was carried on board the steamer, but am too weak for anything. We were
nearly shipwrecked coming back owing to the Russian captain having his
bride on board and not minding his ship. We bumped and scraped and
rolled very unpleasantly. At Beyrout the Sisters of Charity wouldn't
nurse a Protestant, nor the Prussians a non-Lutheran. But Omar and
Darfour nursed me better than Europeans ever do. Little Blackie was as
sharp about the physic as a born doctor's boy when Omar was taking his
turn of sleep. I did not like the few Syrians I saw at all.

November 6, 1868: Alick

BOULAK,
_November_ 6, 1868.

DEAREST ALICK,

I am sure you will rejoice to hear that I am really better. I now feel
so much like living on a bit longer that I will ask you to send me a
cargo of medicines. I didn't think it worth while before to ask for
anything to be sent to me that could not be forwarded to Hades, but my
old body seems very tough and I fancy I have still one or two of my nine
lives left.

I hope to sail in a very few days, Maurice is going up to Cairo so I send
this by him. Yesterday was little Rainie's birthday, and I thought very
longingly of her. The photo, of Leighton's sketch of Janet I like very
much.

January 25, 1869: Sir Alexander Duff Gordon

_To Sir Alexander Duff Gordon_.

ASSOUAN,
_January_ 25, 1869.

DEAREST ALICK,

We have been here ten days, and I find the air quite the best for me. I
cough much less, only I am weak and short of breath. I have got a most
excellent young Reis for my boat, and a sailor who sings like a
nightingale, indeed he is not a sailor at all, but a professional Cairo
singer who came up with me for fun. He draws crowds to hear him, and at
Esneh the congregation prayed for me in the mosque that God might reward
me for the pleasure I had provided for them. Fancy desiring the pray