spare between the bed and the door. However, it is wonderful how soon one gets reconciled to these little miseries, and now I begin to feel quite happy and contented with my small lot, and I enjoy this quiet life immensely.

We arrived in the most beautiful moonlight at Korosko at 6.30 P.M. This is half way from Philae to Wady Halfah, near which is the Second Cataract, and where our voyage up the Nile is to end. From Korosko, in order to cut off a great bend in the Nile, a road leads across the desert to Abou Hamed, where it rejoins the river, and goes on toward Shendy and Sennaar, etc.; the ivory, ostrich feathers, gums, etc., which are brought thence in caravans from the interior of Africa being shipped here for Cairo and Alexandria. After dinner the Prince and some of the gentlemen went again to try their luck after hyenas, but again got nothing.

The Princess, myself, Mourad Pasha, and some of the gentlemen went on shore at 9.30 in the most beautiful moonlight. Found many tents here, made of long sticks fastened in the ground, with a kind of straw matting spread over them, which hung down very low on all sides. These tents were filled with the people belonging to the caravans above mentioned, who were encamped here, having their goods piled up

Caravan Encampment.

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before their tents. The whole scene was very Eastern, and very interesting. To the right there was one of those hills of bright yellow sand, which, shone upon by the bright moon, looked like gold, with a few palms scattered here and there. The other side had the most complete look of desert, but it was enlivened for the moment by three or four groups of dromedaries (ours) which had been sent on from Philae, and had, wonderful to say, arrived at the same time as ourselves. It was a curious sight, the camels all lying down with their legs tied, to prevent their getting up; the men, for the most part dead tired, stretched on the ground in picturesque groups, with the straw of their packsaddles for pillows, and covered with their cloaks; one man keeping watch at each group, while in some of the tents the men were deeply engaged at drafts or dominoes. I could not help thinking how strange it was, to be walking about in the midst of these, so to say, half-savage people, yet without the slightest sensation of fear, and perfectly free from danger. It had been a fine fresh day, a strong north wind blowing, and the thermometer at twelve o'clock only gave 75° Fahr. A large fish was caught this day by Hadji Ali (Colonel Stanton's cavass). He was the Prince's dragoman when last in Egypt in 1862, and has now come up with us all the way. He put out a line and

caught a fish seventy pounds' weight. It was five feet long, and twenty-nine inches round the head, but very ugly to look at, and very nasty to eat, they told me, as I have never but once had courage to taste the Nile fish myself, and then I thought it very nasty. Nor have I once touched butter or cream since I left Cairo, it being all made from goat or buffalo milk. In other respects the cooking, and all we get to eat, is perfection, and all done on a really magnificent scale, at the expense of the Viceroy. The mail left for Cairo.

February 27. Left Korosko at 5.30 A.M., and passed Dere, the early capital of Nubia, at 10.30. Having again seen some crocodiles, the Prince and most of the party went on shore, in the hope of being able to stalk them. But, in spite of their patience in remaining for several hours lying in holes cut in the hot sand, they did not succeed in getting near them. The Prin cess and I joined the rest of the party at 3.30, and walked about on the bank opposite, picking up some pretty pebbles and agates. We only continued our journey for another hour to-day, as we never can get the Captain to go on after the sun goes down, even though there is a bright moonlight. "Me rather cut my throat," was one of his constant answers when pressed to do so.

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February 28. Again, I am happy to say, we have a very nice fresh day, and, for the first time since we have been in Egypt, even cloudy. Odd as it may appear, I must confess that I delight in it as a most refreshing change, which shows how one can get tired even of everlasting sun.

We had been told that the heat above Philae would not be bearable, and, certainly, starting with 98° on the 23d, I really dreaded the prospect of what we should have to undergo; but, so far from these fears being verified, the weather has hitherto been quite cool and most delightful. The climate of Egypt certainly suits us all, and no wonder, for it is really most enjoyable. Indeed, the purity and lightness of the air is, to my mind, one of the great charms of this country. Then the transparent and ever-changing lights, particularly at night, when the sun goes down, are beyond description beautiful, and you never get tired of watching them. By moonlight, too, owing to the lightness of the atmosphere, you can see farther and more distinctly than you can any where else. In short, I think the climate, as far as I have yet experienced it, simply perfection.

At three o'clock this day we came in sight of five crocodiles, and the Prince and Sir S. Baker at once landed to try and stalk them. Four of them, one

after another, disappeared in the water. One, however, was left, and this the Prince fortunately got a shot at, and killed at fifty yards' distance with his first barrel. We had seen the whole thing from our dahabeah, and the excitement when we saw that the crocodile was killed was tremendous, and there was no end to the screams of joy and cheers that came from the boats. The whole party, headed by the Princess, now rushed off in small boats to have a sight of the beast. It certainly was not pretty to look at. It was nine feet long, and four feet round the body. It was at once brought on board the dahabeah, and there was again hearty cheering from all the servants and men on board when the Prince returned, and they got sight of the crocodile.

The Prince himself, and every body else, had been so anxious that he should kill one, that, during the last few days, the banks of the river had been eagerly examined by every one, and whenever the word. "Crocodile in sight" was called out, there was intense excitement, and our boats were at once stopped. However, the Prince had seldom even time to land before they had again disappeared in the water, which they did the moment they saw the boats approaching. is this extreme shyness of the crocodile which makes this sport so very difficult. We heard that, just before

It