To Mrs. Austin.  CAIRO, Monday, November 27, 1865.

Dearest Mutter,

I arrived here last night and found a whole heap of letters—­and yours I will answer first.  I had no heart to write any more from Alexandria where I was worried out of all courage and strength.  At last after endless delays and vexations the dahabieh was tant bien que mal ready.

Talk of Arab dawdle! after what I went through—­and now I have to wait here for fresh repairs, as we came up baling all the way and I fear cursing the Christian workmen who had bungled so shamefully.

However that is over, and I am much better as to my cough—­indeed it is all but gone.  Omar was very ill having had dysentery for two months, but he too is well again.  He is very grateful for your kind mention of him and says, ’Send the Great Mother my best Salaam, and tell her her daughter’s people are my people, and where she goes I will go too, and please God I will serve her rich or poor till “He who separates us” shall take me from her.’  The words of Ruth came after all these centuries quite fresh from the soft Egyptian lips.

The ‘He who separated us’ I must explain to you.  It is one of the attributes of God, The Separator of Religions implies toleration and friendship by attributing the two religions alike to God—­and is never used towards one whose religion is not to be respected.

I have got a levee of former reis’s, sailors, etc. some sick—­but most come to talk.

The climate changes quite suddenly as one leaves the Delta, and here I sit at eight in the evening with open doors and windows.

I am so glad to hear of the great success of my dear Father’s book, and to think of your courage in working at it still.

I suppose I shall be here a week longer as I have several jobs to do to my boat, and I shall try to get towed up so as to send back the boat as soon as possible in order to let her.  Ali will give 80 pounds a month for her if he gets a party of four to take up.  I pay my Reis five napoleons a month while travelling and three while lying still.  He is a good, active little fellow.

We were nearly smashed under the railway bridge by an iron barge—­and Wallah! how the Reis of the bridge did whack the Reis of the barge.  I thought it a sad loss of time, but Reis Ali and my Reis Mohammed seemed to look on the stick as the most effective way of extricating my anchor from the Pasha’s rudder.  My crew can’t say ‘Urania’ so they sing ’go along, oh darling bride’ Arooset er-ralee, as the little Sitt’s best description, and ‘Arooset er-ralee’ will be the dahabieh’s exoteric name—­as ’El Beshoosheeh, is my popular name.

December 5, 1865:  Mrs. Austin

To Mrs. Austin.  CAIRO, December 5, 1865.

Dearest Mutter,

Alhamdulillah—­now I am at rest.  I have got all the boat in order.  My captain, Reis Mohammed, is very satisfactory, and to-day we sail as soon as Omar comes back with the meat, etc. from market.