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whom I read and explained its contents He was much pleased with the politeness of Latif Pacha. We had just finished reading the letter, when the cook came to enquire when we would dine. I told him to bring it as soon as it was ready. We discussed it with much appetite. After dinner we had coffee, talked for some time, and then, wishing each other good night, lay down to sleep.

CHAPTER XX.

STAY AT KARTUM ON

THE TWENTY-SEVENTH, AND DEPARTURE ON THE TWENTY-EIGHTH.

WE passed the night pleasantly with the exception of a few visits of mosquitoes. On the light appearing in the saloon we rose. The captain, as usual, went to bathe in the Nile; I to wash in the court-yard. After this, the Arab Shiek, director of the post of the government, came; he was an Arab of the Ababde tribe; the brother of the one who came to visit us at Cananit. (See Chap. XIII.) On entering the saloon, we saluted him and his companion, begged them to sit down, and ordered coffee.

The Shiek informed the captain that the Pasha had sent him to enquire how many camels his Signoria re quired for the journey to Cordofan, as it was necessary to order them to be in readiness. The captain replied, that he would require seven. "I wish to depart to-morrow morning; if you please, I will pay half the hire here, the other at Cordofan, as I am in the habit of doing. How much for each camel or dromedary?" The Shiek's companion replied, "eighty piastres for each." "You are not speaking the truth;

we know that sixty piasters is the price for each camel, from here to Cordofan. Dare you ask eighty ? If you choose I will pay the whole hire of the seven camels at once." The Shiek replied, "Be it so; for the Arabs have to prepare themselves. Pay us, and we will hasten." The captain requested the Shiek to have the camels ready the following morning. He replied, "Do not fear, they shall be so. I go direct from here to Om-Dorman, on the West bank of the White Nile, where the Arabs are, and will order the camels and dromedaries for to-morrow morning." On this, he rose and departed. He was very bronzed, like the other Arabs of the usual height, dignified in his carriage and expression, his eyes appeared like two stars, so glittering, his beard black; perhaps rather short in height, though well proportioned; and dressed in a white robe, with white turban. After his departure, the person who had paid us the first visit on our arrival appeared, and was soon followed by a French doctor, in the service of the Egyptian government. On their departing, we went to the Pasha's to take leave. We were received as wont with the offer of

coffee.

The captain thanked him for his politeness and attention, and said that he should ever remember it. The Pasha replied "I have done nothing; it is only my duty to pay the greatest attention to the English."

We shortly rose, and on leaving, he wished us a prosperous journey, and all success in our undertaking.

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Our cawas being ill, and unable to accompany us to Cordofan, the Pasha offered us his own cawas and dromedarist to accompany us as far as Cordofan. The captain again thanked him for his kindness; and I added some higher worded thanks. We recommended our cawas to his care, and returned home. The captain called Omar and said "We are going to Darfour; you are at liberty to go with us or return, as when I engaged you at Cairo, it was to go to Soudan, not Darfour; if you wish to return to Cairo, I will give you money, and request the Pasha to give you a passport, &c., thither." Omar replied "What do you wish, sir, I shall be most sorry to leave you, you are so good." I knew he was not at all willing or inclined to go to Darfour, and said-" Well, return to Cairo; we shall find plenty of cooks, if not we will go without one: what, can I not make a cup of coffee, or a dish of rice?-away, prepare your last dinner for us." We then spoke of engaging another cook. I went and met a person well acquainted with Kartum, and asked him if he could find a cook to accompany us, if not to Darfour, to Lobaied. He said, "several, probably even to Darfour." I said "it was not requisite that he should be a good cook; if he only knew to make coffee, boil rice, roast a fowl or piece of meat; I could teach him." He sent for two or, if necessary, who declined to go, the pay being too little. I said

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we would do without one." The captain asked me to go to the Pasha to recommend Omar to his care.

I took with me a packet of letters for Cairo. I had a long interview, talking on various matters; and fulfilled errand regarding Omar. On my return, I found the captain had gone to see the Frenchman. On account of the heat I remained in the saloon. On the captain's return, he informed me that the Frenchman was an Atheist. I told him I was not surprised, as the system of doctors was, for the most part, materialism.

cap

"Would to heaven, he were the only one!" After having received this very interesting news about the doctor, I rose to count our baggage. I saw that we had a copious quantity of brandy. I said to the tain: "You told me that you would like to offer half a dozen bottles of brandy to the Pasha, do you remember?" "Yes!" answered he. "Well, then we must take out of the box, all the bottles, and see how many there are." Having done so, we found them all safe; for we had not consumed one bottle in all our journey from Cairo to Kartum. We took then six and sent them to the Pasha. The captain, smiling, said to me: "I do not understand how the Pasha can drink brandy, whilst it is prohibited by the Coran." I replied, "The Pashas are excepted; because they have added to the Coran, what Mohammed had either forgotten or left out by negligence; thus, 'All the believers in the Coran, shall not drink whatever liquor which causes drunkenness, except the dignitaries and the Pashas, who one day shall come." " In the meantime, we called the cook Omar, and gave him the bottles

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