A pilgrimage to the temples and tombs of Egypt, Nubia, and ...

THE SWIFT. 113
for Egyptian travellers. There is a cabinet de
toilette beyond these, and in front is a tent or
awning where the servants sleep; and I assure
you that when all the doors are thrown open,
our present abode has quite as consequential
an appearance as many of the seaside lodging-
houses in England, where grand pianos are
located, and quadrilles are danced in drawing-
rooms twelve feet long by ten. Of course our
bedding, linen, canteens, and batterie de cuisine,
&;c., are supplied by ourselves, and Mohammed's
perfect knowledge of the outfit required for
such an excursion has saved us a world of
trouble, and his cleverness and good manage-
ment in providing everything that he knew to
be adapted to English tastes and habits, has
really not left us the possibility of forming a
wish. We had wisely prepared ourselves" to
expect a somewhat scrambling life of it, but
most agreeably have we been surprised at find-
ing everything going on under his auspices as
smoothly as though we were in the best hotel
on shore, and our table as well supplied as if
the Marche St. Honor^ were within his reach.
Our crew consists of a Reis, or captain, a pilot,
and fourteen Arab sailors, besides which we
have a Caireen cook, who is quite an artist,
VOL. I.