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

OSTRICH EGGS. 227
moment when you suppose that the dancer's
backbone must be broken, or her neck dislocated,
by so extraordinary an effort, she recovers her
equilibrium with surprising dexterity ; always
contriving as she regains a perpendicular position
to salute the spectator nearest to her by sweep-
ing her oily tresses before his face, when it is
the custom to reward her feat by moistening a
small gold coin and applying it to her forehead.
Another then takes her place, while the last
performer falls back and joins the chorus to
whose voices these dances are executed. On this
occasion the orchestra was par eMraordinaire,
one of Monsieur d'Arnault's servants playing upon
a sort of Egyptian guitar, which produced sounds
very much resembling the buzzing of a bee in
a bottle ; and our boatmen, who had brought
their darabookahs and tambourine, joining heartily
with voice and hand in the chorus.
This morning Monsieur d'Arnault sent me a pre-
sent of some beautiful ostrich eggs. They are found
in the adjacent Desert ; and in a country where
every article of food is both scarce and bad they
are esteemed a luxury for the table—but I had
not the courage to make a trial of them. Mon-
sieur d'Arnault tells me that the hen ostrich
will lay upwards of thirty eggs at a time, which
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