ned cattle, even the dogs are more than decimated, and the hawks and
vultures seem to me fewer; mankind has no food to spare for hangers-on.
The donkeys are sold, the camels confiscated, and the dogs dead (the one
sole advantage). Meat is cheap, as everyone must sell to pay taxes and
no one has money to buy. I am implored to take sheep and poultry for
what I will give.

May 23, 1867: Mrs. Austin

_To Mrs. Austin_.

LUXOR,
_May_ 23, 1867.

DEAREST MUTTER,

I have only time for a few words by Giafar Pasha, who goes early
to-morrow morning. My boat arrived all right and brought your tin box.
The books and toys are very welcome. The latter threw little Darfour
into ecstasies, and he got into disgrace for 'playing with the Sitt'
instead of minding some business on hand. I fear I shall spoil him, he
is so extremely engaging and such a baby. He is still changing his
teeth, so cannot be more than eight; at first I did not like him, and
feared he was sullen, but it was the usual _khoss_ (fear), the word that
is always in one's ears, and now that is gone, he is always coming
hopping in to play with me. He is extremely intelligent and has a pretty
baby nigger face. The Darfour people are, as you know, an independent
and brave people, and by no means 'savages.' I can't help thinking how
pleased Rainie would be with the child. He asked me to give him the
picture of the English Sultaneh out of the _Illustrated London News_, and
has pasted it inside the lid of his box.

I am better as usual, since the hot weather has begun, the last six days.
I shall leave this in a week, I think, and Mustapha and Yussuf will go
with me to Cairo. Yussuf was quite enchanted with your note to him; his
eyes glistened, and he took an envelope to keep it carefully. Omar said
such a letter is like a _hegab_ (amulet) and Yussuf said, 'Truly it is,
and I could never have one with more _baraka_ (blessing) or more like the
virtue which went out of Jesus, if ever I wore one at all; I will never
part with it.'

We had a very pretty festival for the Sheykh, whose tomb you have a
photograph of, and I spent a very pleasant evening with Sheykh Abd
el-Mootooal, who used to scowl at me, but now we are 'like brothers.' I
found him very clever, and better informed than any Arab I have met, who