6.  A sail along the Nile is very pleasant.  There are lovely tints of green on the water.  As the boat glides on, many villages are passed.  Each of these has its snow-white temple.

7.  All along the river bank there are palm trees.  They wave their crowns of green leaves high in the air.  The fields are gay with colour.  Above all is the bright blue sky.

8.  Look at the picture again.  At a short distance from the water you see a village.  It has a wall round it, and outside the wall is a ditch.  In October the ditch is full of water; in spring it is dry.

9.  In and near this ditch the children and the dogs of the villages play together.  You can see two boys in the picture.  One of them is standing by his mother.  The other boy is riding on a buffalo.

10.  In the middle of the village there is an open space.  Sometimes this space is covered with bright green grass.  Round it are rows of palm trees.  The house of the chief stands on one side of this green.

11.  Every village has its well, and every well has its water-wheel for drawing up the water.  By the side of the well the old men of the village sit smoking and chatting.  The women come to the well to fill their pitchers with water.

12.  All the houses are built of Nile mud.  This mud is dug out of the banks of the river.  It is mixed with a little chopped straw to hold it together.  Then it is put into moulds.  After a time it is turned out of the moulds, and is left to dry in the sun.

[Illustration:  The Chief City of Egypt.

(From the picture by Talbot Kelly, R.I.)]

* * * * *

6.  Children of Egypt.

[Illustration:  {An Egyptian woman}]

1.  In the picture you see two of the women of Egypt.  One of them is standing at the edge of the river.  She is filling her pitcher with water.  The other woman is carrying a lamb in her arms.

2.  The people of Egypt have changed but little since the days of Moses.  The men have brown faces, white teeth, and bright black eyes.  Most of them wear beards and shave their heads.

3.  The women wear long dark cloaks.  If they are well-to-do they cover their faces with a veil.  They think it wrong to let their faces be seen by any men except their husbands.

4.  I think Kate would like to hear something about the children.  Those who have rich fathers wear beautiful clothes, and have a very happy time.  Poor children wear few clothes, and are nearly always covered with dust.

5.  Many of the boys go to school, and are taught just as you are.  They read the same kind of books that you read.

6.  The children of Egypt always obey their parents, and are never rude to them.  I think they have very good manners.

7.  All the people of Egypt love singing.  Their voices are soft and sweet.  The boatmen on the Nile sing as they row.  The fruit-sellers sing as they cry their wares in the streets.