not fail to speak of Mr.
Osterburg, the Swedish consul in Cairo, who made himself most agreeable.
Our dragomen were Richard and Claudius, the former a Syrian, the latter
I saw less of, but some of the passengers, who became interested in him,
visited in person his little wife, about fourteen years old, who had a
mud hut in the vicinity of one of the stopping places on the Nile.

After lunch was served on our first day out we made our first landing at
Bedrashead, site of Memphis and Sakkarah, where we saw the colossal
statue of Ramises II, lying prostrate, in readiness to be transferred to
some less favored spot. I had a fine mount, and Richard stuck close to
"my lady" (you must remember that much respect is paid to the aged in
the Orient). The temple of Ptah, the step pyramid, pyramid of Teta,
pyramid of Pepi 1st, and the Ape's Mausoleum, were shown us. This last
was most interesting. Magnesium lights of the guides enabled us to
distinguish in these dark, subterranean passages, where 3,700 years ago,
naked foot-prints left on layers of sand, placed in the corners of these
mortuary chambers, testify to a primitive appearance. Here people made
superhuman effort to hide their burial places for all ages to come, to
prevent rude hands from pulling their bones apart until, according to
their religion, their souls would again return to their well preserved
bodies--to enjoy Nirvana.

We saw the tomb of "Thi," Necropolis of Saharah; also Marrek's house. To
the latter is due much credit for his perseverance in unearthing and
protecting the contents of these buried ruins. My first donkey ride was
a success, not that I enjoyed it, but owing to a most considerate donkey
boy, who walked at the side of the beast (instead of the rear) and
allowed me to hold in my left hand the reins and my right arm around his
swarthy neck. Thus, I took all those excursions on the Nile without an
accident, till I gave myself the title of "the lady of a fond embrace,"
while others, more daring and perhaps more dainty of touch, were more
than once thrown over the donkey's head, suffering from bruises that
took more than a day to heal. Immediately on reaching the steamer, at
4:30 p. m., tea was served on deck. I was more than weary and so sore I
could scarcely taste of my dinner, but, thanks to a kind Providence, I
was by morning on deck, but that day we made no excursions. The
following day we landed at Beni-Hassan, visiting the Rock Tombs,
consisting o