There was a talk among the three or four Europeans here at the beginning of the rumours of a revolt of organizing a defence among Christians only.  Conceive what a silly and gratuitous provocation!  There was no religion in the business at all and of course the proper person to organize defence was the Maohn, and he and Mustapha and others had planned using my house as a castle and defending that in case of a visit from the rioters.  I have no doubt the true cause of the row is the usual one—­hunger—­the high price of food.  It was like our Swing, or bread riots, nothing more and a very feeble affair too.  It is curious to see the travellers’ gay dahabiehs just as usual and the Europeans as far removed from all care or knowledge of the distresses as if they were at home.  When I go and sit with the English I feel almost as if they were foreigners to me too, so completely am I now Dint el-Beled (daughter of the country) here.

I dined three days running with the Kevenbrincks and one day after dinner we sent for a lot of Arab Sheykhs to come for coffee—­the two Abab’deh and a relation of theirs from Khartoum, the Sheykh of Karnac, one Mohammed a rich fellah, and we were joined by the A’gha of Halim Pasha’s Hareem, and an ugly beast he is.  The little Baroness won all hearts.  She is a regular vif argent or as we say Efreeteh and to see the dark faces glittering with merry smiles as they watched her was very droll.  I never saw a human being so thoroughly amused as the black Sheykh from the Soudan.  Next day we dined at the Austrian agent’s and the Baroness at last made the Maohn dance a polka with her while the agent played the guitar.  There were a lot of Copts about who nearly died of laughing and indeed so did I. Next day we had a capital dinner at Mustapha’s, and the two Abab’deh Sheykhs, the Sheykh of Karnac, the Maohn and Sheykh Yussuf dined with us.  The Sheykh of Karnac gave a grand performance of eating like a Bedawee.  I have heard you talk of tripas elasticas in Spain but Wallahi! anything like the performance of Sheykh Abdallah none but an eyewitness could believe.  How he plucked off the lamb’s head and handed it to me in token of the highest respect, and how the bones cracked beneath his fingers—­how huge handfuls of everything were chucked right down his throat all scorching hot.  I encouraged him of course, quoting the popular song about ‘doing deeds that Antar did not’ and we all grew quite uproarious.  When Sheykh Abdallah asked for drink, I cried ’bring the ballaree (the big jar the women fetch water in) for the Sheykh,’ and Sheykh Yussuf compared him to Samson and to Og, while I more profanely told how Antar broke the bones and threw them about.  The little Baroness was delighted and only expressed herself hurt that no one had crammed anything into her mouth.  I told the Maohn her disappointment which caused more laughter as such a custom is unknown here, but he of course