charged
five francs a dozen for all small things and more for dresses. A bad
_hashash_ boy turned Achmet's head, who ran away for two days and spent a
dollar in riotous living; he returned penitent, and got no fatted calf,
but dry bread and a confiscation of his new clothes.

The heat, when I left Luxor, was prodigious. I was detained three days
by the death of Sheykh Yussuf's poor little wife and baby (in childbirth)
so I was forced to stay and eat the funeral feast, and be present at the
_Khatmeh_ (reading of the Koran on the third night), or it would not have
seemed kind. The Kadee gave me a very curious prayer-book, the Guide of
the Faithful, written in Darfour! in beautiful characters, and with very
singular decorations, and in splendid binding. It contains the names of
all the prophets and of the hundred appellations of Mohammed, and is
therefore a powerful _hegab_ or talisman. He requested me never to give
it away and always to keep it with me. Such books cannot be bought with
money at all. I also bought a most beautiful _hegab_ of cornelian set in
enamel, the verse of the throne splendidly engraved, and dated 250 years
ago. I sent over by Palgrave to Alick M. Brune's lovely drawings of
Luxor and Karnac, and to Maurice a gold coin which I received as a fee
from an old Bedawee.

It was so hot that I could not face the ride up to Keneh, when all my
friends there came to fetch me, nor could I go to Siout. I never felt
such heat. At Benisouef I went to see our Maohn's daughter married to
another Maohn there; it was a pleasant visit. The master of the house
was out, and his mother and wife received me like one of the family; such
a pretty woman and such darling children!--a pale, little slight girl of
five, a sturdy boy of four, and a baby of one year old. The eager
hospitality of the little creatures was quite touching. The little girl
asked to have on her best frock, and then she stood before me and fanned
me seriously and diligently, and asked every now and then, 'Shall I make
thee a sherbet?' 'Shall I bring thee a coffee?' and then questions about
grandpapa and grand mamma, and Abd el-Hameed and Abd el-Fattah; while the
boy sat on his heels before me and asked questions about my family in his
baby talk, and assured me it was a good day to him, and wanted me to stay
three days, and to sleep with them. Their father came in and gave each
an ashara (10 foddahs, 0.5 piastre) which, after consulting toget