74 HABITS AND CUSTOMS.

was suffering from head-ache, begged a cloth of me to bind round her head, and I lent her my flag,* as I had nothing else at hand. I visited her on the next day, thinking to find her ill at home, but was told that she was much better, and had gone out. My astonishment at meeting the handsome girl, in company with several of her friends, on the marketplace, decked out with my flag in the form of a woman's frock, may be easily imagined; and my laughter was greatly increased, at observing the double-headed eagle expanded in full glory over the centre of her body. Several Turks, who were present, were likewise attacked with fits of laughter ; but the belle, and her friends, found this decoration so pretty, that I was besieged with entreaties to present them also with \\\gfantasias ; and I was obliged to use all possible means to persuade them, and make them understand, that I possessed no raore articles of ornament of this description, and that I must even take this one back. The handsome girls were, as may be supposed, by no means pleased with this measure, for I had a great deal of trouble in getting my flag back to hoist it in its place in proper time.

The food consists chiefly of dokn bread, assida, * It is customary among Europeans travelling on the Nile, to hoist their national flag, a custom which is the more necessary, as they, by so doing, avoid many enquiries, which are made at different places by the local police, and thus save themselves much trouble, and unnecessary delay.