ian_," announces that the place to which the expedition is bound has
been changed, and that General Wright Schumburg, who now is in command,
orders "all officers not otherwise commissioned to join Colonel
MacIver's 'Corps of Officers.'"

The _Lilian_ ran out of coal, and to obtain firewood put in at Cedar
Keys. For two weeks the patriots cut wood and drilled upon the beach,
when they were captured by a British gun-boat and taken to Nassau.
There they were set at liberty, but their arms, boat, and stores were
confiscated.

In a sailing vessel MacIver finally reached Cuba, and under Goicouria,
who had made a successful landing, saw some "help yourself" fighting.
Goicouria's force was finally scattered, and MacIver escaped from the
Spanish soldiery only by putting to sea in an open boat, in which he
endeavored to make Jamaica.

On the third day out he was picked up by a steamer and again landed at
Nassau, from which place he returned to New York.

At that time in this city there was a very interesting man named
Thaddeus P. Mott, who had been an officer in our army and later
had entered the service of Ismail Pasha. By the Khedive he had
been appointed a general of division and had received permission to
reorganize the Egyptian army.

His object in coming to New York was to engage officers for that
service. He came at an opportune moment. At that time the city was
filled with men who, in the Rebellion, on one side or the other, had
held command, and many of these, unfitted by four years of soldiering
for any other calling, readily accepted the commissions which Mott had
authority to offer. New York was not large enough to keep MacIver and
Mott long apart, and they soon came to an understanding. The agreement
drawn up between them is a curious document. It is written in a neat
hand on sheets of foolscap tied together like a Commencement-day
address, with blue ribbon. In it MacIver agrees to serve as colonel of
cavalry in the service of the Khedive. With a few legal phrases omitted,
the document reads as follows:

"Agreement entered into this 24th day of March, 1870, between the
Government of his Royal Highness and the Khedive of Egypt, represented
by General Thaddeus P. Mott of the first part, and H. R. H. MacIver of
New York City.

"The party of the second part, being desirous of entering into the
service of party of the first part, in the military capacity of a
colonel of cavalry, promises to serve and obey party o