the hand.  I returned it, and said, ’Our Lord reward thee and all the people of kindness to strangers,’ which was considered a very proper answer.  After that we went away, and the worthy Nazir walked home with me to take a pipe and a glass of sherbet, and enjoy a talk about his wife and eight children, who are all in Foum-el-Bachr’, except two boys at school in Cairo.  Government appointments are so precarious that it is not worth while to move them up here, as the expense would be too heavy on a salary of 15 pounds a month, with the chance of recall any day.  In Cairo or Lower Egypt it would be quite impossible for a Christian to enter a Sheykh’s tomb at all—­above all on his birthday festival and on the night of Friday.

Friday, January 29.—­I have been too unwell to write all this week, but will finish this to-day to send off by Lady Herbert’s boat.  The last week has been very cold here, the thermometer at 59 and 60 degrees, with a nipping wind and bright sun.  I was obliged to keep my bed for three or four days, as of course a palazzo without doors or windows to speak of was very trying, though far better than a boat.  Yesterday and to-day are much better, not really much warmer, but a different air.

The moolid (festival) of the Sheykh terminated last Saturday with a procession, in which the new cover of his tomb, and the ancient sacred boat, were carried on men’s shoulders.  It all seemed to have walked out of the royal tombs, only dusty and shabby instead of gorgeous.  These festivals of the dead are such as Herodotus alludes to as held in honour of ‘Him whose name he dares not mention—­Him who sleeps in Philae,’ only the name is changed and the mummy is absent.

For a fortnight everyone who had a horse and could ride came and ’made fantasia’ every afternoon for two hours before sunset; and very pretty it was.  The people here show their good blood in their riding.  On the last three days all strangers were entertained with bread and cooked meat at the expense of the Luxor people; every house killed a sheep and baked bread.  As I could not do that for want of servants enough, I sent 100 piastres (12s) to the servants of Abu-l-Hajjaj at the mosque to pay for the oil burnt at the tomb, etc.  I was not well and in bed, but I hear that my gift gave immense satisfaction, and that I was again well prayed for.  The Coptic Bishop came to see me, but he is a tipsy old monk and an impudent beggar.  He sent for tea as he was ill, so I went to see him, and perceived that his disorder was arrakee.  He has a very nice black slave, a Christian (Abyssinian, I think), who is a friend of Omar’s, and who sent Omar a handsome dinner all ready cooked; among other things a chicken stuffed with green wheat was excellent.  Omar constantly gets dinners sent him, a lot of bread, some dates and cooked fowls or pigeons, and fateereh with honey, all tied up hot in a cloth.  I gave an