NATIVE GUAKDS. 23 



are the queer beasts, whose every action is watched, and who 

 excite as much amusement out here as we feel when looking 

 at " our poor relations," the monkeys, at the Zoological 

 Gardens. Showing the natives the action of our breech- 

 loaders and letting them look through our field-glasses never 

 failed to excite the interest of the chief men of the company, 

 who are seldom satisfied until they have had the gun in their 

 own hands, and pinched their fingers in shutting it up. But 

 it is time to be on the move again ; so we make a rise and a 

 salaam to the sheik, and, throwing a few coppers among the 

 small boys, we proceed on our way, mutually pleased with 

 our rencontre. 



The Egyptian is certainly not a bad character. He may 

 be poor and idle ; but he will exert himself for the smallest 

 coin, and is always willing to please; in fact, they are an 

 extremely harmless people, although a dragoman never fails 

 to impress one with the necessity of firing a shot or two 

 on anchoring for the night, just by way of explaining to the 

 natives, should there be any robbers among them, that the 

 boat is armed. As an extra precaution, too, we have some 

 of the natives from the village to guard the shore at night. 

 This we look upon as a small tax upon travellers, rather than 

 as a really necessary precaution ; for the guards often sleep 

 very soundly during the night, as we found on one occasion, 

 when we went the rounds and saw the two guards fast 

 asleep ; so we took their guns away and brought them on 

 board, as a testimony in the morning of their good be- 

 haviour. 



We arrive at Beuha on the 13 th, where we have to wait 

 some hours ere they open the bridge over which the railway 

 from Alexandria to Cairo crosses the Nile. As this priJ-'"" 



