46 DEATH OF JULES, discussing the advisability of sending him to Sanheit with one of the European servants, and the doctor if necessary, to await our arrival there, as we knew the climate to be cool, and moreover were sure that he would receive every attention at the hands of the priests. The next day he was weaker, and gradually sank, dying about half-past ten on the evening of the 9th.

I walked up to the town immediately afterwards, and informed the governor of what had happened, so as to make arrangements for the funeral, which we knew could not be long delayed in so hot a climate. They made a rough deal coffin, covered over with dark-blue cloth ; and our native servants carried him to the grave the next morning. A Greek merchant, long resident in Cassala, had given a piece of ground for a Christian burial-place in a corner of a palm and lime grove inside the walls of the town ; and there we laid him, covering the coffin with the British flag. The heat was terrific, and the dust suffocating. To me fell the painful duty of reading the burialservice, — a sad office which I had never expected to be called upon to fulfil. Two Greeks were the only people present besides our own party and servants.

Jules had lived in Lort Phillips's family for over seventeen years ; and he was greatly distressed, as we all were, at the death of an old and faithful servant, so far from his home and friends.