12 AFRICAN WANDERINGS.

whispered to me that he was suffering under an attack of the

fever, but to say nothing about it. Although my brother was most assiduously performing the part of cup-bearer to the Duke, and doing honour to his name of Joseph, still the Pascha every moment kept calling on me to urge him to fulfil his office. The

rest of the party at table, though unpressed, drank stoutly; and when from a side table a number of bottles of champagne were

brought into play (though, in spite of all I could say, each was well shaken by the stupid attendants, and on the corks being

sprung, all was froth and foam), then did the noise and jubilee

begin, and a perfect Babel of tongues arose, as the half dozen dif-

ferent languages of our party came into contact with each other and only with difficulty could I make out what the Duke, in great

glee, shouted to me in his loud, commanding officer like tones,

or translate to the Pascha all the pretty complimentary speeches

his German Highness gave vent to, in praise of the Pascha and

brave Circassians. He would make the campaign to Taka with

the Pascha ; would manage all ; overthrow and defeat all before

him. The Pascha smiled, and accepted his offers ; and when I told him that the Duke was a cavalry general, he laughing said, " Such

troops as he has been used to command I have not, but still it were well he went with me ; but he jests." The morning of this party the Duke told us, that as he travelled

incognito, he wished to be treated as a private gentleman. We

asked him to dinner for next day; he accepted, and declared himself

decidedly opposed to water drinking in tropical climates, and to a

certain degree he was right, as the stomach there much more

requires stimulants. At dinner he was wonderfully eloquent, told

us tales of his travels in America, and that he had served as major

in the Prussian army, and was aware he yet retained somewhat of

his old commanding officer's tones. The wine, added to the effects

of the previous evening's carouse with the Pascha, put his princely

corpulence into a fearful state of heat, and the warmth of the day also

conduced to his feverish state, so that my brother Joseph gazed on him with alarm, and in case bleeding should be necessary laid out

his apparatus all ready in the next room ; but his Highness's strong

constitution held firmly out, not only then, but also during his fur-

ther tour, which in spite of my brother's advice, and that of his