in the party which attacked his village and killed he knew not how many, and carried him and others off.  He was not stolen by Arabs, or by Barrabias, like Hassan, but taken in war from his home by the seaside, a place called Bookee, and carried in a ship to Jedda, and thence back to Koseir and Keneh, where Palgrave bought him.  I must say that once here the slaves are happy and well off, but the waste of life and the misery caused by the trade must be immense.  The slaves are coming down the river by hundreds every week, and are very cheap—­twelve to twenty pounds for a fine boy, and nine pounds and upwards for a girl.  I heard that the last gellab offered a woman and baby for anything anyone would give for them, on account of the trouble of the baby.  By-the-bye, Mabrook displays the negro talent for babies.  Now that Achmet is gone, who scolded them and drove them out, Mohammed’s children, quite babies, are for ever trotting after ‘Maboo,’ as they pronounce his name, and he talks incessantly to them.  It reminds me so of Janet and poor Hassan, but Mabrook is not like Hassan, he is one of the sons of Anak, and already as big and strong as a man, with the most prodigious chest and limbs.

Don’t be at all uneasy about me as to care.  Omar knows exactly what to do as he showed the other day when I was taken ill.  I had shown him the medicines and given him instructions so I had not even to speak, and if I were to be ill enough to want more help, Yussuf would always sit up alternate nights; but it is not necessary.  Arabs make no grievance about broken rest; they don’t ‘go to bed properly,’ but lie down half dressed, and have a happy faculty of sleeping at odd times and anyhow, which enables them to wait on one day and night, without distressing themselves as it distresses us.

Thursday.—­A telegram has just come announcing that Janet will leave Cairo to-morrow in a steamer, and therefore be here, Inshallah, this day week.  I enclose a note from a Copt boy, which will amuse you.  He is ‘sapping’ at English, and I teach him whenever I am able.  I am a special favourite with all the young lads; they must not talk much before grown men, so they come and sit on the floor round my feet, and ask questions and advice, and enjoy themselves amazingly.  Hobble-de-hoy-hood is very different here from what it is with us; they care earlier for the affairs of the grown-up world, and are more curious and more polished, but lack the fine animal gaiety of our boys.  The girls are much more gamin than the boys, and more romping and joyous.

It is very warm now.  I fear Janet will sigh terribly over the heat.  They have left their voyage too late for such as do not love the Shems el-Kebeer (the big sun), which has just begun.  I who worship Ammun Ra, love to feel him in his glory.  It is long since I had any letters, I want so to hear how you all are.

March 7, 1867:  Sir Alexander Duff Gordon