516 JOURNEY TO CENTRAL AFRICA.

Spicy as an Oriental dream. I found the Bey's house, and delivered my letter through a slave. The wife, or wives, who remained in the hareem, invisible, entertained me with coffee and pipes, in the same manner, while a servant went to bring the Bey's son from school. Two Copts, who had assisted me in finding the house, sat in the court-yard, and entertained themselves with speculations concerning my journey, not supposing that I understood them. " Grirgos," said one to the other, " the Frank must have a great deal of money to spend."

" You may well say that ; " his friend replied, "this journey to Soudan must have cost him at least three hundred purses."

In a short time the Bey's son came, accompanied by the schoolmaster. He was a weak, languid boy of eight or nine years old, and our interview was not very interesting. I therefore sent the slave to bring donkeys, and we rode back to the boat.