Department, or with any
official at Washington that I have any recollection of. I am very sure
that no cause of complaint could have existed on our part without my
knowing it. It would afford me the greatest pleasure to meet the Baron
and his wife during my European tour, but I fear I shall not be able to
do so. My trip through Spain and Portugal has been put off, or at least
postponed, for this year. On Saturday we leave here for the South of
France, from there to take a naval vessel to visit all points of
interest on the Mediterranean. We shall probably go up the Nile, and
spend the winter in a warm climate, to be ready for our northern tour
in the spring. It is barely possible that when we return from up the
Nile we may go on East, through China and Japan to San Francisco. But
this is not probable for another year. This will probably be the last
opportunity I shall ever have of visiting Europe, and there is much to
see that I have not seen, and cannot see this winter.

I hear from home occasionally, but not as often, probably, as you do.
All were well by the last advices received two days ago from Orville.

Please assure your colleague that I have no recollection of other than
the most pleasant relations between U.S. officials and the Baron de S.

With kind regards of Mrs. Grant, Jesse and myself, I am,

Very truly,

U.S. GRANT.

Cairo, Egypt,
Jan'y 13th, '78.

MY DEAR MR. CORBIN:

I am in receipt of your letter of December '77 at this remote, but
historically interesting quarter of the globe. We have been in Cairo
since last Tuesday. This is Sunday. I have seen the city very
thoroughly; visited the pyramids; the Virgin Mary's tree where she took
shelter some twenty centuries ago; the spring which became sweet from
being saline, on her quenching her thirst from it, and which remains
sweet to this day,--while I was there water was being pumped from it,
by ox power, with a revolving wheel, to irrigate the neighboring
ground--; Heliopolis, the great seat of learning in the days of Moses,
and where he was taught, and where the father-in-law of Joseph was a
teacher. The tree and the well are at Heliopolis, about six miles from
here.

On Tuesday we start up the Nile on a special steamer provided by the
Khedive. We expect to go as far as to the first rapids stopping at all
the points of interest on the way. This will probably take three weeks.
On our return we expect to go to Suez, thence by Canal to Port