litle fear of accidents. A number of amusing incidents occurred while we were loitering on the shore, which diverted our attention, for a time, from the scenery around. Forty or fifty naked Nubians were seen, all at once, to make their appearance from among the rocks, plunge into the river, and pass like an arrow over the cataracts, in the midst of the most furious rushing of the waters. I feared that some would lose their lives; but our venerable Reis, who sat smoking his chibouk, smiled at the idea, and remarked, in his own language, that they were Nubian ducks, and could not drown.

Just above the rapids, we saw two figures, with their clothes tied above their heads, sitting upon the surface of the water, apparently, and floating about like some inflated substance; which turned out to be a man and his wife, crossing from the island of Biggeh. Their bark was a log with a bundle of cornstalks on each side, too light to support their weight, yet strong enough to keep them from sinking.

seen.

About two miles above the cataracts is the island of Philæ, known in Nubia by the name of Anas el Wogood, and upon which stand the remains of the temple of Isis, commenced by Ptolemy Philadelphus and Arsinæ, and completed by succeeding monarchs. The island is small and shaped like an egg, presenting to the eye, from all points, a certain beauty and uniqueness no where else to be The scenery around is wild and romantic, corresponding admirably with the position of the island, and so charming as to make one almost wish to pass the remainder of his days here. Next to the great temple of Karnak, I regard the temple of Isis as the most elegant structure in Egypt, containing many rich and perfect specimens of architecture, no where else to be found. The outside of the walls are ornamented with numerous figures and hieroglyphics, executed in a chaste and beautiful manner. No two of the capitals of the numerous columns are alike, all being different to display the beauties of the various orders. Very near to Philæ is the island of Biggeh, containing the remains of a small temple, dedicated to Athos, apparently commenced by Euergetes I. and completed by Ptolemy the elder. A red granite statue and a few broken fragments of stone, scattered over the surface of the ground, are all that remains to prove its existence and position. This island is inhabited by Nubians, who go entirely naked, except a piece of leather about six inches wide,

cut in strings and tied about their loins. They are far more interesting to me in their appearance and character than the Egyptians. His figure is tall, thin, and graceful; his face is rather dark, but far removed from African blackness; his features are long and aquiline, somewhat resembling the Roman; the expression of his face is mild, amiable, and approaching to melancholy. The inhabitants of Nubia are extremely poor, but their wants are few, and they live accordingly.

Above Philæ, the barren hills become higher and run close to the river, leaving only a small strip of ground for agricultural purposes; but as we ascended only a short distance above this island, I will not attempt a description, but will state upon the authority of friends, that there is much to see between the first and second cataracts.

Satisfied with our voyage on the Nile, we returned to our boat, and are now floating sideways down the current, praying for a favorable wind, and hoping soon to return to Cairo.

LETTER FORTY-ONE.

JERUSALEM, Palestine.

Preparations at Cairo for crossing the Desert-Our Caravan-A Sheik of the BedouinsMidnight alarm and loss of a Carpet Bag-Jerreed Tournament-Military Honors at El Arish-Five hours' separation from the Caravan in a Simoom-Five days in the Lazaretto at Gaza-Plain of Sharon-Ashdod-Two days in the Convent at Ramla-Journey to and first sight of Jerusalem.

HAVING made the grand tour in Egypt from the sea to the cataracts -or, in the language of the Bible, from "Migdol to Syene, even unto the borders of Ethiopia"-we were once more in the modern capital, making the necessary preparations for crossing the Great Arabian Desert. Three routes were presented for our contemplation, viz. one by way of Petra, another by way of El Arish, and a third between the two. Parties were forming for each of the three routes, and we had our option which to join. Two of our friends, with whom we had journeyed for some months in Europe and on the Nile, desired to take the first, and we would have been pleased

to continue with them, but two insurmountable obstacles stood in our way-time and uncertainty. This route requires forty days, which was somewhat longer than we wished to sit on the hump of a camel and gaze at nothing but burning sands and our own tracks; and then there was great uncertainty whether we would be permitted to enter Petra on account of the dissensions between the Akaba and Petra tribes, who had been at war with each other, and forbidden all foreigners to enter the city of Rock. Having disposed of this route, we were not long in making up our minds to accept the proposition of a friend from New-York, to enter into a contract with a Maltese dragoman, named Vincent Belluti, to carry us to Jerusalem by way of El Arish, and thence through the Holy Land to Damascus and Beirout. Vincent had the character of being an energetic man, good purveyor, and well acquainted with the way of managing the Bedouins. All was left to him, and I am happy to state that he realized my expectations in every particular. Independent of our own party, consisting of two young ladies and three gentlemen, we had the pleasure of being joined on the day of departure by an English gentleman from York, and his lady, who proved to be exceedingly clever, and contributed much towards making the journey agreeable, and the long days pass away almost imperceptibly. This couple will ever have my very best wishes, and hereafter when I think of the desert, their faces will come vividly before my mind's eye, and the many pleasant days passed in their company will be dwelt upon as among the brightest of my Eastern tour.

It was a gloomy day to me when we started for the Holy Land. Although the sun shed its genial rays on the blooming beauties of nature, and every thing seemed to invite us onward, yet I felt sad. It was the day fixed upon by the authorities for the punishment and exile of nine poor creatures who participated in the battle on the Nile. We were requested by our Vice-Consul to be present on the occasion, but I had not the heart to witness the severity of the Egyptian bastinado, with the knowledge that it was inflicted partly on my own account. But this was the slightest cause of our grief. We were about to part with tried friends, and leave a country replete with historical interest, and wander amid new and different scenes. Yes, we were to give up our quiet, easy-moving boat for a caravan of dromedaries and camels, to pitch our tents wherever the

setting sun might find us, and instead of our faithful Arabs of the Nile, to have for our companions and protectors the wild rude Bedouins of the desert. All preparations, however, were made, the caravan waiting at the door of our hotel, loaded with tents, luggage, and provisions. The Bedouin Sheik and his swarthy tribe, armed with pistols, long sabres, and match-lock guns, were sitting crosslegged on a mat, smoking their pipes and waiting our commands. The dragoman, anxious to be off, was hurrying to and fro, seeing that all things were in their proper place. At last the signal was given. The Bedouins rose from their seats, adjusted their pipes on their backs, and moved off slowly towards the ancient city of the Sun (Heliopolis). It was at the time a grand sight to see thirty camels all tied together, and stepping steadily one after the other in the tracks of their long-bearded drivers; but the novelty soon passed away, and we now look at a camel with as much indifference as we would at an old cow grazing on a common. Some persons profess to admire this animal, but for my part I never wish to see another. They are any thing but prepossessing in appearance, slow and awkward in their movements, always complaining, and fit only for what nature intended them-beasts of burden.

The ladies did not fancy the idea of mounting at the hotel door, and to please them we rode on donkeys as far as the old sycamore tree, under which the Holy Family rested while in Egypt-a little to the south of Heliopolis, and of the Bab el Hag, over the plain where Toman Bey was defeated by Sultan Selim. Here we boarded for the first time in our lives the great "ship of the desert," and I assure you it was an amusing scene. The camels were arranged in a circle, and the Bedouins standing near by ready to assist us in mounting. The ladies were the first to make the trial, and I am certain that without the assistance of the dragoman and Bedouins, they never would have got farther than the second rising motion of the animal, without being pitched either behind or before. The gentlemen disdained the idea of being held on while the animal was rising, and insisted that they should be allowed to try it alone, upon which the drivers in their usual frank manner replied, Tiebe (very good). The consequence was, that two of the party were tumbled in the sand, and fully satisfied that they were unequal to the sudden and vigorous jerks of the rising camel.

Throughout all the East it is the custom to place the saddle on the back of the camel, as well as the horse, so soon as they are old enough for use, which is never removed until they die, or become unfit for work. The result is, that nine tenths of these poor brutes are constantly suffering from raw backs, much to the annoyance of the European or American traveller. I frequently endeavored to persuade the Arabs to pay some attention to this matter, but my efforts were always unavailing, as it is utterly impossible to get them to depart in the slightest degree from the usages of their ancestors.

To give you some idea of our comforts while riding, just picture to yourself a tall six-footer from Tennessee perched high out of his element on a blue mattress, underneath which was an enormous bag of beans, for the use of the animal en route, placed on a saddle similar in shape to a wood-horse, and according to my boyish recollection similar in point of ease. Thus elevated, imagine him with a broad-brimmed wool hat, covered with a green veil, holding in one hand a white cotton umbrella, in the other a coarse palm halter, moving at the rate of three miles per hour, and congeeing his body in the most ungraceful manner to the back of a beautiful young lady all the way from the Knickerbocker State. At four o'clock, the usual hour on the desert, we pitched our tents near the village of Bilbis, and in sight of the citadel and minarets of Cairo. While driving the pegs, an Italian quarantine officer came down from the village and endeavored to prevail on us to camp near his house, stating that the thieves were unusually bad, and that it was really dangerous to pass the night in the desert. The dragoman of our English friend, who is a sprightly Egyptian, and our own dragoman held a parley on the subject, and informed the gentleman that they knew full well how to manage the thieves, and for his own safety he had better keep clear of our tents during the night. Finding that he could make nothing out of the dragomans, the dirty rascal slipped round and claimed acquaintance with Antonio, one of our servants, and invited him to visit his house that night, and reminded him to put a bottle of brandy in his pocket. Now, although Antonio was sometimes fond of turning his little finger over his thumb, he politely declined this invitation, saying that he had no brandy of his own, and was too honest to take that belonging to his master. In a few minutes our tents were pitched near to each other, and the camels