By no deed of my own have I become a slave-owner.  The American Consul-General turned over to me a black girl of eight or nine, and in consequence of her reports the poor little black boy who is the slave and marmiton of the cook here has been entreating Omar to beg me to buy him and take him with me.  It is touching to see the two poor little black things recounting their woes and comparing notes.  I went yesterday to deposit my cooking things and boat furniture at my washerwoman’s house.  Seeing me arrive on my donkey, followed by a cargo of household goods, about eight or ten Arab women thronged round delighted at the idea that I was coming to live in their quarter, and offering me neighbourly services.  Of course all rushed upstairs, and my old washerwoman was put to great expense in pipes and coffee.  I think, as you, that I must have the ‘black drop,’ and that the Arabs see it, for I am always told that I am like them, with praises of my former good looks.  ’You were beautiful Hareem once.’  Nothing is more striking to me than the way in which one is constantly reminded of Herodotus.  The Christianity and the Islam of this country are full of the ancient worship, and the sacred animals have all taken service with Muslim saints.  At Minieh one reigns over crocodiles; higher up I saw the hole of AEsculapius’ serpent at Gebel Sheykh Hereedee, and I fed the birds—­as did Herodotus—­who used to tear the cordage of boats which refused to feed them, and who are now the servants of Sheykh Naooneh, and still come on board by scores for the bread which no Reis dares refuse them.  Bubastis’ cats are still fed in the Cadi’s court at public expense in Cairo, and behave with singular decorum when ‘the servant of the cats’ serves them their dinner.  Among gods, Amun Ra, the sun-god and serpent-killer, calls himself Mar Girgis (St. George), and is worshipped by Christians and Muslims in the same churches, and Osiris holds his festivals as riotously as ever at Tanta in the Delta, under the name of Seyd el Bedawee.  The fellah women offer sacrifices to the Nile, and walk round ancient statues in order to have children.  The ceremonies at births and burials are not Muslim, but ancient Egyptian.

The Copts are far more close and reserved and backward than the Arabs, and they have been so repudiated by Europeans that they are doubly shy of us.  The Europeans resent being called ‘Nazranee’ as a genteel Hebrew gentleman may shrink from ‘Jew.’  But I said boldly, ’Ana Nazraneeh. Alhamdulillah!’ (I am a Nazranee.  Praise be to God), and found that it was much approved by the Muslims as well as the Copts.  Curious things are to be seen here in religion—­Muslims praying at the tomb of Mar Girgis (St. George) and the resting-places of Sittina Mariam and Seyidna Issa, and miracles, brand-new, of an equally mixed description.