ave just been up the river: they ordered a reading of
the Koran at the tomb of Abu-l-Hajjaj and gave every Alim sixpence. We
have not left off chaffing (as Maurice would say) Sheykh Allah-ud-deen,
the Muezzin, and sundry others on this superb backsheesh, and one old
Fikee never knows whether to laugh, to cry, or to scold, when I ask to
see the shawl and tarboosh he has bought with the presents of Pashas.
Yussuf and the Kadee too had been called on to contribute baskets of
bread to the steamer so that their sixpences were particularly absurd.

The little boy whose father died is still with the Abab'deh, who will not
let him travel to Cairo till the weather is warmer and they find a safe
person to be kind to him. Rachmeh says 'Please God, he will go with the
Sitt, perhaps.' Hassan has consoled him with sugar-cane and indulgence,
and if I lose Mabrook, and the little boy takes to me, he may fall into
my hands as Achmet has done. I hear he is a good boy but a perfect
savage; that however, I find makes no difference--in fact, I think they
learn faster than those who have ways of their own. So I see Terence was
a nigger! I would tell Rachmeh so if I could make him understand who
Terence was, and that he, Rachmeh, stood in need of any encouragement,
but the worthy fellow never imagines that his skin is in any way inferior
to mine.

February 3, 1867: Sir Alexander Duff Gordon

_To Sir Alexander Duff Gordon_.

LUXOR,
_February_ 3, 1867.

DEAREST ALICK,

The boat goes down to-morrow and I have little to add to Mutter's letter,
only that I am better.

There is a man here from Girgeh, who says he is married to a Ginneeyeh
(fairy) princess. I have asked to be presented to her, but I suspect
there will be some hitch about it. It will be like Alexis's _Allez,
Madame, vous etes trop incredule_. {334} The unintelligible thing is the
motive which prompts wonders and miracles here, seeing that the wonder
workers do not get any money by it; and indeed, very often give, like the
Indian saint I told you of who gave me four dollars. His miracles were
all gratis, which was the most miraculous thing of all in a saint. I am
promised that the Ginneeyeh shall come through the wall. If she should
do so I shall be compelled to believe in her, as there are no mechanical
contrivances i