had not, and Hugh and Lucy were specially anxious to try what it was
like. So the dromedary was ordered to come for us.

It looked very handsome with its saddle of crimson velvet, from which
splendid draperies of gold and silver stuff hung on all sides, with a
number of silken cords, loops, and tassels.

Most of us thought the motion very pleasant. But Lucy was a little
frightened, and said she felt as if she was going to tumble over the
dromedary's head. She would only go at a walk, which we thought a
disagreeable pace. Hugh thought the dromedary's trot delightful, and
wished he could always travel by dromedary, but Lucy thought a Cairo
donkey very much to be preferred.

[Illustration: DROMEDARY.]

Almost everything that we see in Egypt reminds us of something we read
of in the Bible. We seem to live among Bible pictures, which help us to
understand the Bible and the customs it speaks of.

We were pleasantly surprised the morning after this little visit to our
friends at the villa to receive another packet of journal from the
travellers. The last had been so long on the way that we scarcely
expected to hear again from them before their return.

We opened it eagerly, and were all excited to know how they had passed
at least the first cataract.

JOURNAL ON THE NILE.

We wrote last from Thebes, which place we left the next morning. We were
obliged to wait at Esneh for twenty-four hours for our sailors to bake
bread. In the evening we saw at least twenty crocodiles pass our boat.

We left Esneh with a fair wind, and stopped nowhere till we reached
Assouan. Here we had to make our arrangements for passing the first
cataract.

The management of our boat was given over to the reis of the cataract.
He provides men to help in taking us through the rapids. Whilst these
arrangements were being made, we had time to see all that was worth
seeing round Assouan.

There was a gay scene on the quay. Large boats which had been damaged
were undergoing repairs; others were being loaded and unloaded with
bales of cotton, which are sent from here across the desert to Sennaar.
Then there were the tents of the owners; groups of Nubian merchants in
white turbans; natives of Assouan seated on the ground, smoking their
chiboques; camels waiting for their loads; and donkeys which seemed as
strong and lively as our Cairo favourites. Of course there was a
terrible noise--shouting, screaming, quarrelling among