STORY OF SULEIMAN.

Meanwhile all kinds of nonsense had been put in botii the Egyptian and English newspapers ; in the latter we were described as having been robbed of camels, baggage, and every thing, in the Atbara Mountains, — wherever they might be, and to be making the best of our way to the coast on foot. Not exactly in newspapers, but something very like it. These veracious statements did not appear in the English papers until the end of March; and it was on Feb. 17 that I telegraphed to Cairo to say we were all well. Our deplorable condition had even been made the subject of a question in the House of Commons. We felt quite important at having so much interest taken in our welfare, and lost no time in telegraphing to our friends to say we were in a highly prosperous state, and on our way home.

We left Gerghis and Mahoom at Suez, to go to England in a direct steamer, via the canal. Suleiman, who had been with us for two winters in the Soudan, and had proved a most excellent, trustworthy fellow, my brothers and I resolved to take to England for the summer ; and, as we required his services at Cairo, we took,him on there with us.

The story of his life is an interesting one, and evinces far more pluck, combined with a keen desire for acquiring knowledge, than one generally meets with among Egyptians. He was born near Wady Halfah, at the second cataract ; and, at the age of ten years, was sent to his uncle, a baker by trade, at Alexandria. He remained there some time ; but his uncle illreated him, and he ran away to Cairo, where he took several situations as a domestic servant. Here he conceived a strong desire to learn to read and write : so, having saved enough money out of his wages to purchase a native apparatus for making tea, having a small grate underneath it to burn charcoal, — the Arabic name of which I forget, — and a sufficient