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

828 THE GREAT-UNCLE.
one of them betraying a shadow of good looks
and, from this large sample, I infer that the
ugliness of Egyptian children is not confined
merely to the Fellah race. The last-born son
of our old host brought up the rear, a sturdy
young gentleman two years old ; who, although
he runs about and talks, and is moreover the
uncle of Black Eyes' husband, and the great-uncle
of their child, is not yet weaned. It was reserved
for the patriarchal communities of Egypt to pre-
sent to my notice the phenomenon of a sucking
grand-uncle !
When this family party had squatted them-
selves on the ground in a semicircle before me,
I was somewhat surprised at seeing the black
eunuch take his seat familiarly among them
and not a little startled when Black Eyes, after
calling my attention to the ugliness of his face,
caught hold of him by the chin, and gave him
a hearty kiss. Then began a close examination
of everything I wore ; and, before it was con-
cluded, I really feared that I should have been
completely undressed. It was evident, from the
curiosity and surprise evinced by them, and their
frequent exclamations of Wallah! and Mashal-
lali ! that I was the first European woman who
had become their guest. Do not suppose, how-
; ;