I can’t write more in the wind and dust.  You shall hear again from Cairo.

October 9, 1864:  Sir Alexander Duff Gordon

To Sir Alexander Duff Gordon.  CAIRO, October 9, 1864.

Dearest Alick,

I have not written for a long time because I have had a fever.  Now I am all right again, only weak.  If you can come please bring the books in enclosed list for an American Egyptologist at Luxor—­a friend of mine.  My best love to Janet and my other chicks.  I wish I could see my Maurice.  Tell Janet that Hassan donkey boy, has married a girl of eleven, and Phillips that Hassan remembers him quite tenderly and is very proud of having had his ‘face’ drawn by him, ’certainly he was of the friends if not a brother of the Sitt, he so loved the things of the Arabs.’  I went to the Hareem soiree at Hassan’s before the wedding—­at that event I was ill.  My good doctor was up the river, and Hekekian Bey is in Italy, so I am very lonely here.  The weather is bad, so very damp; I stream with perspiration more than in June at Luxor, and I don’t like civilization so very much.  It keeps me awake at night in the grog shops and rings horrid bells and fights and quarrels in the street, and disturbs my Muslim nerves till I utter such epithets as kelb (dog) and khanseer (pig) against the Frangi, and wish I were in a ‘beastly Arab’ quarter.

October 21, 1864:  Mrs. Austin

To Mrs. Austin.  CAIRO, October 21, 1864.

Dearest Mutter,

I got your letter yesterday.  I hope Alick got mine of two weeks ago before leaving, and told you I was better.  I am still rather weak, however I ride my donkey and the weather has suddenly become gloriously dry and cool.  I rather shiver with the thermometer at 79 degrees—­absurd is it not, but I got so used to real heat.

I never wrote about my leaving Luxor or my journey, for our voyage was quite tempestuous after the three first days and I fell ill as soon as I was in my house here.  I hired the boat for six purses (18 pounds) which had taken Greeks up to Assouan selling groceries and strong drinks, but the reis would not bring back their cargo of black slaves to dirty the boat and picked us up at Luxor.  We sailed at daybreak having waited all one day because it was an unlucky day.

As I sat in the boat people kept coming to ask whether I was coming back very anxiously and bringing fresh bread, eggs and things as presents, and all the quality came to take leave and hope, Inshallah, I should soon ’come home to my village safe and bring the Master, please God, to see them,’ and then to say the Fattah for a safe journey and my health.  In the morning the balconies of my house were filled with such a group to see us sail—­a party of wild Abab’deh with their long Arab guns