kinds, and all manner of trades, are here depicted— among them carpenters at work.

Here we lunched, and then turned our donkeys homeward, glad when we re-entered the thick forest and left the dreary desert behind.

We were soon again on deck, enjoying one of our last sunsets on the Nile, and bidding adieu to the place where Memphis lay buried with all its wonders; and as we glided on the water the distant minarets and citadels of Cairo were seen faintly sketched against the sky, while on our left a long succession of pyramids towered over the dark belt of forest that led along the river. Night had driven out the day as we approached brilliantly lighted Roda, and moored in the stream opposite its palace.

ISLAND

CHAPTER XIII.

OF RODA THE "NILOMETER "-FATIMA- -WOMAN'S RIGHTS-GOOD-BY TO OUR CREW-IN CAIRO AGAIN -DEPARTURE FROM ALEXANDRIA · PORT SAID SUEZ CANAL-JAFFA-THE CONVENT THE CAMP-HOUSE OF SIMON THE TANNER SELECTION OF HORSES SACRED SOIL.'

66

THE

WEDNESDAY, March 25, 1868.

HE night has been quite stormy; we have had rain, lightning, and thunder, and when we arose this morning the heavens were still overcast; but at nine o'clock the clouds gave way to the sun, and Tom was able to take a photographic view of the "Nilometer," on the island of Roda.

While returning to the boat he was hailed by Mr. Rogers, who, with the Messrs. Beadel, were coming to see us, having heard through Mr. Johnson's dragoman that we were moored opposite Old Cairo.

We all sat down to lunch, when Mr. Beadel stated that they had employed a first-class dragoman, one Joseph Carem, for the tour in Syria and Palestine, and having awaited our arrival until the last moment, had concluded a contract with him, leaving a clause whereby it was optional with us to join or not. He had the

highest recommendations, and they did not think we could find a better one. His price, compared to that which we had paid Mohammed for the Nile trip, seemed moderate, and as everything was ready we could take the steamer of the 28th and thus lose no time in Cairo.

After Tom had consulted with Aline, it was decided that we should join their party, and as we had no time to lose, after lunch we all went to visit the "Nilometer," which consists of a square well or chamber, having in the centre a graduated pillar for the purpose of ascertaining the daily rise of the Nile. This is proclaimed every morning in the streets of the capital, during the inundation, by four criers, to each of whom a portion of the city is assigned.

The island of Roda, on which it is situated, is very pretty; the gardens which surround the palace are crowded with orange and lemon trees in full blossom, as well as various other tropical plants, and quantities of flowers. We were not allowed to go too near the palace, and particularly the part containing the harem; and looking at the windows, whilst smelling the perfume of a bouquet given me by the gardener, I saw in vision the Fatima of whom Warburton has made such a charming chapter.

"Poor Fatima! shrined as she was in the palace of a tyrant, the fame of her beauty stole abroad through Cairo. She was one amongst a hundred in the harem of Abbas Pacha, a man stained with every foul and loathsome vice; and who can wonder, though many may condemn, if she listened to a daring young Albanian, who risked his life to obtain but a sight of her!

Whether she did listen or not, none can ever know; but the eunuchs saw the glitter of the Arnaut's arms, as he leaped from the terrace into the Nile, and vanished in the darkness.

"The following night a merry English party dined together on board Lord Exmouth's boat, as it lay moored off the Isle of Rhoda; conversation had sunk into silence as the calm night came on; a faint breeze floated perfumes from the gardens over the star-lit Nile, and scarcely moved the clouds that rose from the chibouques; a dreamy languor seemed to pervade all nature, and even the city lay hushed in deep repose, when suddenly a boat, crowded with dark figures, among which arms gleamed, shot out from one of the arches of the palace; it paused under the opposite bank, where the water rushed deep and gloomily along, and for a moment a white figure glimmered among the boat's dark crew; there was a slight movement and a faint splash;and then the river flowed on as merrily as if poor Fatima still sang her Georgian song to the murmur of its waters!

Oh! shades of Joan of Arc and the Maid of Saragossa, inspire with increased fervor your modern heroines, and female champions, Miss Anthony, Anna Dickinson, and Mrs. Mary Walker-Egypt is the place to "exercise” your abilities and "exorcise" that inhuman monster, "man." Cairo is your stamping-ground, wherein to establish a "Woman's Rights Convention," with ramifications and branches throughout the length and narrowness of the land.

soul; she cannot even

The Egyptian woman has no quietly die and go to heaven;

she simply is annihilated. To all intents and purposes she is a chattel, belonging bodily to the man who calls himself her husband.

In all the villages on the Nile you see these poor victims at work as busily as bees, tilling the land, or drawing water for domestic purposes, while the lazy husbands sit or loll in the shade, dreaming over their chibouques, or listlessly sipping their coffee-grounds. I never saw them do it, but I imagine they get up sometimes to rest.

These brutes never even take care of the babies-nor do the most strong-minded of the women ever dream of "voting."

On returning to the dahabeeh we gave orders to float down to Embabeh, the port of Cairo, and passed the afternoon packing, so as to be able to leave the boat early the following morning. It was five o'clock when we moored in the stream, near the other dahabeehs, among which were the Rachel, Cleopatra, and Lincoln. Tom went immediately to the banker, Abcarius, and the evening was passed reading letters from home. Poor Mohammed felt very sad at the thought of our leaving him, and gave us some useful advice about our Syrian trip.

Our final night on board!-let us take a look at our sailors, who, seated together, smoking, seem also to be affected by the approaching separation.

Good-night to all, and may God bless you!-a last gaze at the starry heavens-and then to bed.

THURSDAY, March 26.

At ten o'clock, everything being in readiness, and the