was very picturesque, and here for the first time we saw children entirely naked. While Mohammed purchased lambs, the gentlemen being with him, we remained in the shade, with our guide, to wait for them. Soon we were surrounded by a crowd of men, women, and children, curious to see Europeans. Our guide drove the men away, but the women and children remained to gaze at us. At last, Mr. Rogers coming back to us, and feeling tired of being objects of so much curiosity, we returned to our dahabeeh, and as we could see Tom nowhere in the crowd, thought he had gone shooting. We were escorted to our boat by nearly fifty persons, and when we arrived found Tom stretched out on the sofa on deck, laughing heartily to see us coming thus attended. The weather being exceedingly warm, the gentlemen dressed themselves in Egyptian costume, which made them look cool and comfortable. Tom then occupied himself by taking several views of our boat, with groups of Arabs on shore and palm-trees behind. We tied up a quarter of a mile above the village, with the Estella in advance of us. For several nights we have had clear moonlight, and as I prize it much I remained on deck, lying on a sofa, and conversing with Mr. Rogers until half-past nine.

FRIDAY, January 3.

Clear morning and no wind; nothing remarkable in the scenery. Passed our time ironing, braiding, and reading. The Estella is still ahead of us.

SATURDAY, January 4. Tracked until nine A.M., when we, as well as the Estella, tied up for the crew's breakfast. A passenger steamer stopped with a party of Americans on board, and Tom and Mr. Rogers went to speak to them. They informed them that on the way up they had passed five American and three English boats, while they reported the Crocodile a short distance behind us, and Mr. Messenger and family, in the Messenger Bird, at Benessoef. The steamer wanted twenty-two guineas to tow the Estella to Siout, but as the price was exorbitant, they declined, and we continued tracking together. A light wind sprang up from the north at six P.M., and at half-past seven we passed the Estella by fair sailing, but soon she took the lead again by poling. At eight P.M. both boats tied up until midnight, when the wind arose, and enabled us in two hours' time to reach Cosaneh, where we again tied up.

SUNDAY, January 5.

We got under way at nine A.M., with a good breeze; the Estella passed us a half hour later. At half-past ten we were abreast the Copt convent, situated on the hills upon the eastern bank, called "Gebel-y-Tayr" (The Hill of the Birds). Two good Christians, at least so they assured us, swam out from the shore, and getting into our yawl called lustily for backsheesh. These men are Coptic monks; are they a benefit to, or an excrescence on, the Christian religion? A large new dahabeeh, called the Memphis, under the Russian flag, which our dragoman says belongs to the Russian Consul, and

which has been in sight all the morning, overhauled and passed us at noon: from the number of women that we saw, we supposed that gentleman had adopted oriental life. We passed Mineah at half-past twelve, where the Memphis stopped. Passed the tombs of Beni-Hassan at five P.M. The wind being favorable, we postponed our visit until our return. At half-past six came to anchor; no wind, the sails hung in folds, and the Estella came abreast of us, tracking. At seven a light breeze sprang up, when we tripped anchor, and made for the western bank, where we found the wind better. The Estella's lights were visible where she was tied up, becalmed on the opposite shore. We covered our cabin windows in order to steal a march on her, and continued sailing with a light breeze until midnight, when the wind died out and we tied up at Esbet.

MONDAY, January 6.

With a light breeze we got under way at seven A.M.; at nine quite calm again, and the men on shore tracking. The Estella was nowhere in sight. Aline, who has been a little indisposed for two days, was better this morning, and joined us on deck again. We passed Antinous at one, and Roda at two P.M. Roda looks beautiful, and is the first pretty scenery we have had on the Nile; the country being well cultivated, with plenty of trees, the brown Lybian hills make a fine background, while the skies are as usual of a deep blue. These places are very interesting, but we will stop to visit them on our return. While writing, Mr. Rogers came to invite me to take a walk, and as the

country looked so tempting I cheerfully acquiesced, as all around is so green and bright. For the first time I found some wild flowers, which I gathered to put in our albums. The sakyehs were in great number, while several fields of sugar-cane were in sight. The gumtrees are plentifully mixed among the sycamores, the acacias, and the palm, and two to three hours slipped away agreeably before we regained our boat. In the evening I read "O'Donoghue," an Irish story, by Lever, which transported me to familiar scenery. The remainder of the evening passed playing bézique.

TUESDAY, January 7.

On looking out of the window at seven A.M., we found that the Estella had tracked up to us during the night, and was tied up in front. We heard that the dragoman was much annoyed when he found in the morning that the American boat was again gone, and gave his crew one pound to catch us, which induced them to work nearly all night. I wrote to-day until four P.M., when I went on deck to enjoy the lovely scene. Our boat was gliding gracefully over the water; some of the men were sewing, some busy at the sails, while others were praying. It is their Ramadan, and for thirty days, from sunrise to sunset, they cannot touch food. Their religion has much poetry in it. When they pray,which they do repeatedly during the day, with their faces towards Mecca,—having previously washed their hands and faces, they prostrate themselves to the ground several times and kiss it, then crossing their hands, their eyes turned heavenward, implore devoutly