86 JOURNEY TO CENTRAL AFRICA.

ences of the climate, scenery and ruins of Egypt, and carry to the Nubian frontier the airs of Broadway or Bond-street. I have heard such a one say : " This seeing the Nile is a nice thing to have gotten over, but it is a great bore while you are about it." Such is the spirit of those travelling snobs (of all nations), by some of whom sacred Egypt is profaned every winter. They are unworthy to behold the glories of the Nile, Rnd if I had the management of Society, they never should.

A. palm-tree is to them a good post to shoot a pigeon from ; Dendera is a " rum old concern," and a crocodile is better than Karnak.

There are a few, however, who will acknowledge the truth of the picture which follows, and which was written in the cabin of the Cleopatra, immediately after our arrival in Upper Egypt.

As it is a faithful transcript of my Nilotic life, I have deviated from the regular course of my narrative, in order to give it without change : — The Nile is the Paradise of Travel. I thought I had already fathomed all the depths of enjoyment which the traveller's restless life could reach — enjoyment more varied and exciting, but far less serene and enduring than that of a quiet home — but here I have reached a fountain too pure and powerful to be exhausted. I never before experienced such a thorough deliverance from all the petty annoyances of travel in other lands, such perfect contentment of spirit, such entire abandonment to the best influences of nature. Every day opens with a jubilate, and closes with a thanksgiving. If such a balm and blessing as this life has been to me, thus far, can be felt twice in one's existence, there must be another Nile somewhere in the world.