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

ARRIVAL AT CAIRO. 45
but we were soon seated in the excellent char-d-
banc belonging to Sheplieard's English Hotel,
driven by Mr. Shepheard himself; and preceded
by a running Fellah cracking a long whip to
clear the way, and another carrying over his
shoulder a long pole, upon the summit of which
was affixed an iron cresset filled with blazing
wood, called a MesJialeh (a magnificent description
of link, and an indispensable night accompani-
ment in a city where street lamps are unknown)
we were driven over very rough ground from
Boulac to Cairo, and safely deposited in Shep-
heard's Hotel.
A clean bed, an airy room, a tranquil night
— ;
no musquitoes—none of the " plagues of Egypt"
to murder sleep— prepared me to enjoy without
drawback my first day in Cairo. T have already
told you what were my waking impressions ;
and,
as you may judge, they were of a nature to
render me impatient to commence my perambu-
lations in this, to me, terra incognita. Moham-
med had put on his Egyptian dress, sabre and all,
of which he is not a little proud, being, like all
Orientals, very susceptible to the adornment of
tlie outward man, and the respect which it com-
mands among the lower classes. He had pro-
cured donkeys for our party (a large one, consist-