1893] Sheykh el Bekri Described 89 



ious birthday feast] in the Bab esh Shariyeh, where we found the 

 young Sheykh in a house decorated for the occasion. He arrived as 

 we arrived, and we went in together. There was a great crowd of 

 people, but the Selamlik was empty, and we sat down with El Bekri 

 and talked in French, while religious Sheykhs and others presently 

 came in to pay their respects to him. The Sheykh el Bekri is a young 

 man about twenty-five, of no very imposing appearance, small and pale, 

 very plainly dressed in white turban gombaz and abbo, you might take 

 him for one of the Azhar students, but he has a certain quiet dignity and 

 is most intelligent. He talks French perfectly. I discussed the situa- 

 tion with him both as to the exiles and as to current politics. On the 

 political situation he talked very sensibly, and urged me strongly to call 

 on the Khedive and talk it over with him. I said : ' I will call on leav- 

 ing Egypt to ask him pardon for the exiles, and then if he chooses to 

 speak to me on other things I will discuss them with him.'' But I 

 explained that my situation was rather a delicate one, as I had formerly 

 been exiled and had been put under an obligation not to interfere; 

 still I was in communication with Sir William Harcourt, and any mes- 

 sage the Khedive might choose to give me I would deliver. The 

 Sheykh el Bekri told me that when he was in England last summer he 

 had seen Gladstone, and Gladstone had spoken strongly to him in the 

 sense of evacuation and against Lord Cromer's policy. He could not 

 understand that he should now be supporting it. I explained the politi- 

 cal intrigues at home and Rosebery's position in the Cabinet. He 

 seemed well acquainted with men and things in England. I gathered 

 from him that the quarrel between the Khedive and Lord Cromer was 

 very much a personal one. At this point music began outside and 

 chanting, and our sofa was turned round to the window and we con- 

 tinned our talk, but with interruptions. I arranged, however, with 

 him that he should speak to the Khedive of my readiness to be of 

 service to him, and that he was to arrange an audience before I left 

 Egypt. This will oblige me to put off my journey (the one I had in- 

 tended to take) to the Fayum. The thing is interesting, and reminds 

 me not a little of old days. I never thought to become the Khedive's 

 confidant after all that has happened. 



" i$th Feb. — Sir George Bowen came and spent the day. A man 

 of enlightened ideas, and much practical experience in English pro- 

 tectorates, the Ionian Islands, Malta, etc., where he has served officially. 

 We talked out the Egyptian question fully, and were pretty much agreed 

 about it. He says, the Liberal Government at home would willingly 

 evacuate, but fears public opinion. He has talked much since he has 

 been in Egypt with Riaz, and Nubar, and Cromer. Nubar regrets 

 that England did not annex in 1882. Cromer admits that he does not 

 know what to do. There are three possible courses: (1) To annex, 



