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

A BREEZE. 119
the mud of the Nile, and partaking of the local
hue, that peculiar glowing brown, which tinges
everything in this country with the exception of
the sky.
And here I must tell you that we started from
Cairo with a determination that w^e should not
stop to see anything unless detained by calms or
contrary winds, but proceed to our extreme des-
tination as fast as possible, and then, on our way
back, take all our sights leisurely as we descend
the river, where we are sure of the current always
befriending us. Thus, you see I shall have no-
thing of interest to communicate to you going
up the Nile, and in this dearth of incident T am
thrown back upon the second " breeze" alluded
to above, which marked our first day's navigation,
and was of so contrary a description as to have
well nigh driven us back to Cairo. And this I
do not altogether dwell upon out of idleness, but
as a hint which may be serviceable to you and
other of our friends who may hereafter be
tempted to direct their wanderings this w^ay. If
it were possible for travellers in Egypt to dis-
pense with their European servants, they would
greatly lessen their annoyances, and I will even
say increase their comforts ; for, from the moment
they set their feet on the shores of Egypt, those