Notes from Egypt

Dearest Alick,

I am enjoying a ‘great indulgence of talk’ with M. Prévost Paradol as heartily as any nigger. He is a delightful person. This evening he is coming with Arakel Bey, his Armenian companion, and I will invite a few Arabs to show him. I sent off the proofs yesterday per passenger steamer. I trust they will arrive safe. It is too disheartening about letters, so many are lost. I am dreadfully disappointed in my letters, I really don’t think them good—you know I don’t blaguer about my own performances. I am very glad people like my Cape letters which I forget—but honestly I don’t think the Egyptian good. You know I don’t ‘pretend’ if I think I have done something well and I was generally content with my translations, but I feel these all to be poor and what Maurice calls ‘dry’ when I know how curious and interesting and poetical the country really is.

I paid Fadil Pasha a visit on his boat, and it was just like the middle ages. In order to amuse me he called up a horrid little black boy of about four to do tricks like a dancing dog, which ended in a performance of the Mussulman prayer. The little beast was dressed in a Stamboulee dress of scarlet cloth.

All the Arab doctors come to see me now as they go up and down the river to give me help if I want it. Some are very pleasant men. Mourad Effendi speaks German exactly like a German. The old Sheykh-el-Beled of Erment who visits me whenever he comes here, and has the sweetest voice I ever heard, complained of the climate of Cairo. ‘There is no sun there at all, it is no brighter or warmer than the moon.’ What do you think our sun must be now you know Cairo. We have had a glorious winter, like the finest summer weather at home only so much finer.

Janet wishes to go with me if I go to Soden, I must make enquiries about the climate. Ross fears it is too cold for an Egyptian like me. I should enjoy to have all the family au grand complet. I will leave Luxor in May and get to you towards the latter part of June, if that pleases you, Inshallah!