April 12, 1867:  Mrs. Austin

To Mrs. Austin.  LUXOR, April 12, 1867.

Dearest Mutter,

I have just received your letters, including the one for Omar which I read to him, and which he kissed and said he should keep as a hegab (talisman).  I have given him an order on Coutts’ correspondents for the money, in case I die.  Omar proposes to wait till we get to Cairo and then to buy a little house, or a floor in one.  I am to keep all the money till the house is found, so he will in no way be tempted to do anything foolish with it.  I hope you approve?

Janet’s visit was quite an Eed (festival), as the people said.  When I got up on the morning she was expected, I found the house decked with palm branches and lemon blossoms, and the holy flags of Abu-l-Hajjaj waving over my balcony.  The mosque people had brought them, saying all the people were happy to-day, because it was a fortunate day for me.  I suppose if I had had a mind to testify, I ought to have indignantly torn down the banners which bore the declaration, ’There is no God but God, and Mohammed is His Prophet.’  But it appeared to me that if Imaams and Muezzins could send their banners to decorate a Christian house, the Christian might manage to endure the kindness.  Then there was fantasia on horseback, and all the notables to meet the boat, and general welcome and jubilation.  Next day I went on with Henry and Janet in the steamer, and had a very pleasant time to Assouan and back, and they stayed another day here, and I hired a little dahabieh which they towed down to Keneh where they stayed a day; after which Sheykh Yussuf and I sailed back again to Luxor.  As bad luck would have it we had hot weather just the week they were up here:  since then it has been quite cool.

Janet has left me her little black and tan terrier, a very nice little dog, but I can’t hope to rival Omar in his affections.  He sleeps in Omar’s bosom, and Omar spoils and pets him all day, and boasts to the people how the dog drinks tea and coffee and eats dainty food, and the people say Mashallah! whereas I should have expected them to curse the dog’s father.  The other day a scrupulous person drew back with an air of alarm from Bob’s approach, whereupon the dog stared at him, and forthwith plunged into Sheykh Yussuf’s lap, from which stronghold he ‘yapped’ defiance at whoever should object to him.  I never laughed more heartily, and Yussuf went into fou rire.  The mouth of the dog only is unclean, and Yussuf declares he is a very well-educated dog, and does not attempt to lick; he pets him accordingly, and gives him tea in his own saucer, only not in the cup.