32 Journal of Mr. Burckhardt's 



the cabin floor, from that time until 4 o'clock past midnight — a 

 period of twenty-two hours — without once rising or quitting the 

 boat ; and even then, unwilling to break communication abruptly, 

 we lay down to sleep upon tlae same bed. It would be impossible 

 to describe how delighted we both appeared to feel in the enjoy- 

 ment of so unexpected a pleasure, as the meeting of persons 

 under such circumstances must always afford ; but in a still 

 higher degree to those who think and feel alike, to those whose 

 tastes are similar, whose sentiments are congenial. This was 

 unquestionably our case, and, as if from the fear that time would 

 snatch from us too hastily the opportunity of mutual disclosure, 

 we dispensed with all preparatory ceremony to enter at once 

 upon the task. There were besides all this, a number of inci- 

 dents that increased the interest of recounting them, from our 

 both witnessing them together, though unconsciously, because 

 unknown to each other. We had heard the same operas in 

 London, on the same occasion ; attended the same concerts ; seen 

 the same plays ; visited the same coffee-houses, and even debat- 

 ed questions repeatedly on the same evening at the British Fo- 

 rum at Piccadilly, of which he was a constant attendant, and a 

 warm admirer of free discussion. He also knew Mr. Edward Lee's 

 family in England; Mr. Maurice, the Librarian of the British Mu- 

 seum ; and Mr. Peter Lee, at Malta ; he was a fellow-traveller of 

 Mr, Fiat in Syria, and a correspondent of Mr. Renouard in Smyrna; 

 all of whom being known to me also, rendered the topics of our 

 conversation as infinite as they were agreeable. He had been 

 educated at Berlin, and finished his studies at Cambridge ; pass- 

 ed several years on the Continent of Europe, and been through 

 all Syria, in the character of a merchant, a priest, and a Bedouin ; 

 penetrated through the boundaries of Egypt, nearly to the fron- 

 tiers of Dongola, and now waited a caravan to depart for Nubia 

 and Abyssinia, intending to come out on the shore of the Red 

 Sea, traverse the Yemen and Arabia, and return to Cairo by the 

 Desert in about 18 months. To a classic education he added a 

 perfect knowledge of French, Italian, German, and Arabic ; had 

 studied the piano-forte under the best masters until 18 ; was a 

 passionate admirer of poetry and music ; and warmly susceptible 



