gress. It will be a different story,
I fear, when we get into the Red Sea, where we may expect a wind
behind us, and around us the hot air of the Desert!... I have been
employing myself for a good part of to-day in a sad work. I took with
me a number of letters of very old date, and have been looking over
them, and tearing up a great part of them, and throwing them
overboard. I thought it would be an occupation suited to this heavy
tropical sea-life. I shall be sorry when it is over, as it is also
soothing, and brings back many pleasing memories which had nearly
faded away. Some few I keep, because they are landmarks of my past
life.

[Sidenote: The Pyramids.]
[Sidenote: The Sphinx.]

_Steamer 'Simla.'--May 9th._--I had only a few moments to write before
we left Suez, and my writing, such as it was, I performed under
difficulties, as the bustle of passengers finding their cabins, and
conveying to them their luggage, or such portions of it as they could
rescue from its descent into the hold, was going on all around me. I
had, therefore, only time to tell you that our visit to the Pyramids
has been a success. It was one of the greatest which I ever achieved
in that line. It came about in this way. When Baron Gros and I,
accompanied by _Betts Bey_, the chief director of the railway, were
journeying in our pachalic state-carriage from Alexandria to Cairo, a
question arose as to how we were to spend the few hours which we
should have to remain at the latter place. I expressed a desire to see
the Pyramids, as I had witnessed all the other lions of Cairo. But
Betts Bey observed, that to go there during the day, at this season of
the year, was a service of considerable danger, the risk of sunstroke
being more than usually great. We were, in fact, traversing Egypt
during the period (of about six weeks' duration) when the wind from
the south blows, and the only air one receives is like the blast of a
furnace heavily charged with sand. He added, however, that it was not
impossible to go to the Pyramids at night, remain there till dawn, see
the sunrise from the summit, and return before the great heats of the
day. When I found myself at Cairo, I proposed to my _entourage_ that
we should undertake this expedition. My proposal was eagerly accepted,
especially by 'Our own Correspondent,' Mr. Bowlby,