thoroughly, all Omar's complete
integrity--without any sort of mention of it--his self-denial in going
ragged and shabby to save his money for his wife and child (a very great
trial to a good-looking young Arab), and the equally unostentatious love
he has shown to me, and the delicacy and real nobleness of feeling which
come out so oddly in the midst of sayings which, to our ideas, seem very
shabby and time-serving, very often I wonder if there be anything as good
in the civilized West. And as Sally most justly says, 'All their
goodness is quite their own. God knows there is no one to teach anything
but harm!'

_Tuesday_.--Two poor fellows have just come home from the Suez Canal work
with gastric fever, I think. I hope it won't spread. The wife of one
said to me yesterday, 'Are there more _Sittat_ (ladies) like you in your
village?' 'Wallah,' said I, 'there are many better, and good doctors,
Alhamdullillah!' 'Alhamdullillah,' said she, 'then the poor people don't
want you so much, and by God you must stay here for _we_ can't do without
you, so write to your family to say so, and don't go away and leave us.'

_Thursday_, _June_ 2,--A steamer has just arrived which will take this
letter, so I can only say good-bye, my dearest Mutter, and God bless you.
I continue very fairly well. The epidemic here is all but over; but my
medical fame has spread so, that the poor souls come twenty miles (from
Koos) for physic. The constant phrase of 'Oh our sister, God hath sent
thee to look to us!' is so sad. _Such_ a little help is a wonder to my
poor fellaheen. It is not so hot as it was I think, except at night, and
I now sleep half the night outside the house. The cattle are all dead;
perhaps five are left in all Luxor. _Allah kereem_! (God is merciful)
said fellah Omar, 'I have one left from fifty-four.' The grain is
unthreshed, and butter three shillings a pound! We get nothing here but
by post; no papers, no nothing. I suppose the high Nile will bring up
boats. Now the river is down at its lowest, and now I really know how
Egyptians live.

June 12, 1864: Sir Alexander Duff Gordon

_To Sir Alexander Duff Gordon_.

LUXOR,
_Sunday_, _June_ 12, 1864.

DEAREST ALICK,

Three letters have I received from you within a few days, for the post of
the Saeed is not that of the Med