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with enormous tiaras or coronets, very heavy, though splendid with precious stones, on their heads; one really more beautiful than another. Necklaces too, with diamonds as big as a shilling-piece, and drops of diamonds cut round like crystals, and quite enormous.

Each had a ring of a single diamond with no setting to be seen at all. That of the old Princess was so large that she could only wear it on the middle finger. I should think it was about an inch wide, but I thought it more curious than pretty.

Each wife wore a belt about three inches wide, all set quite close with very large diamonds, and uncut emeralds and rubies. I never saw any thing equal to it; no gold setting to be seen at all-only these beautiful stones. They had also the Viceroy's picture on the left shoulder set in enormous diamonds. Yet, in spite of all this finery and luxury, I would rather be the poorest peasant woman working for my bread than one of these miserable creatures. Stlil they say that the Viceroy is very kind to them, and does all he can to give them liberty and amusement.

We returned home at four o'clock, and at five the Princess, myself, and the Duke of Sutherland went to see the stables of Ali Sheriff Pasha, who has some beautiful Arab horses. In the evening we went to the play, after which the Prince went with all his

Last Days at Cairo.

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suite to the Viceroy's Palace of Gizerek to supper. Here they saw the dancing-girls, and all agreed that the sight was rather curious than pleasing. The same mode of dancing is said to have existed for more than two thousand years.

To-morrow we are to leave Cairo, and commence our voyage up the Nile.

CHAPTER III.

VOYAGE UP THE NILE.

EBRUARY 6. Before leaving Cairo I went out

with Fina (my maid) to make some purchases. The day, though bright, was very cold. Indeed, the cold the whole time we have been at Cairo has been intense. In my large room the thermometer (Centigrade) has never been above twelve or thirteen degrees.

At two o'clock we left our palace and embarked on board the boats which had been prepared for us, to commence our voyage up the Nile. Our party was large, and the number of vessels provided for us formed really a little fleet, of which the following was the order of sailing: A large and very smartly. fitted-up steamer, the Federabanee, Captain Achmet Bey, heads the squadron, and is occupied by Prince Louis of Battenberg (midshipman on board the Ariadne, and invited by the Prince to accompany him during the trip on the Nile), Major Teesdale, Captain Ellis, equerries in waiting, Lord Carington, Mr. O. Montagu, Dr. Minter, Sir Samuel Baker, and Mr. Bri

The Steamer and Dahabeah.

47

erley. On deck there is a large saloon all fitted up with silk, and looking-glasses, and every description of luxury, and here we are always to have our meals. Outside this, again, there is a small open saloon with a large looking-glass at the back, so that wherever. one sits one sees the scenery behind one.

This steamer tows a most beautiful dahabeah, as they call these Nile boats, which has been named the "Alexandra," in which the Prince and Princess and myself are to live. It is all fitted up in blue and gold, with a great deal of taste, and the cabins are all large and most comfortable. The Prince and Princess have a very nice sleeping cabin, with a bath-room and dressing-room apiece. There is a large sitting-room with a piano and very pretty furniture; and then come my two cabins, small, about seven feet square, but very comfortable, and outside these a large cabin for the dresser, Mrs. Jones, and my excellent Fina. We have a very nice place outside where we can sit and read or draw, and an upper deck besides. We are, indeed, very well off, except that we must go on board the big steamer for every meal-breakfast at ten, luncheon at two, and at seven dinner. This is rather troublesome, and will, I fear, often oblige us to remain all day on board the big boat, a thing we do not fancy much, so the

Princess means to try and get back to the small boat after breakfast every day, in order to have some hours' quiet for useful occupations.

After these boats comes the kitchen-steamer, with four French and one Arab cook on board. It carries all the kitchen apparatus and tows a large barge full of provisions, dead and alive-turkeys, sheep, chickens, etc. Another steamer conveys Colonel Stanton, our Consul-General at Cairo, with our two Egyptian gentlemen, Mourad Pasha and Abdel Kader Bey; and also tows a barge containing three horses and two donkeys, as well as a poor unfortunate French washerwoman, who, with her husband and child on board, is to go with us as far as the First Cataract, and to wait for us there till we return. Another smaller steamer, which draws very little water, also follows, in case we should not be able to get on in our big boat, the water this year being lower than they think it has been for these last hundred years. All this shows how the Viceroy has spared no trouble and no expense to provide his royal visitors with every thing, and with every luxury that could possibly contribute to their comfort and pleasure.

The Duke of Sutherland, with his party, follows us in another steamer. In addition to those I have already mentioned as composing his party, his broth

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