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Life awl Letter* of Francis Gallon 



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Edward Wheler must 



being very bad. Macalister, however, saw it, and says it is more gorgeous than any other he lias 

 seen. But it is of late date, only as far back as Hehoboam ; Abraham's time is thought here 

 to be rather late. The interest now is in the people who lived here be/ore the pyramids were 

 built, ending with about 4000 B.C. There are beautiful Hint knives of far earlier date, the most 

 beautiful I have ever seen in workmanship and iu art. The Nile is very low and is running out 

 fast. One of the people connected with the irrigation told Lord Northampton that he expected 

 it might become a mere chain of pools before the next freshet. Maud Butler returns to-morrow 

 from Assouan, and will stay a fortnight at our hotel, which will be pleasant. I did to-day 

 a somewhat silly thing. They imitate ancient Egyptian things, sometimes very well, at Luxor 

 (mostly to sell as originals), so wanting a small seal I gave them my hieroglyphic to cut on an 

 imitation "scarab" for 4/-. The man proved to be a poor hand and has made for me the enclosed, 

 which is legible but very badly cut. However it will serve its purpose. Both Petrie and an 

 Egyptologist (Dr Lieblein) approved it. I have no right to a cartouche, 

 not being a king, but Maud Butler, whose pet name was "Queenie," 

 might use one. We have had no war news to-day. How glad Bob* 

 must be that he was not fatter, else the bullets that went through 

 his clothes might have gone through his body. Nelson's cocked hat 

 was once shot through; had he been a taller man, he would have 

 died long before Trafalgar. I am glad that Gascoigne Trench is going 

 out. He knows the work that is needed, and is still young enough. Guy's* 

 recurrence of Indian fever will make it unlikely that he should be passed 

 as fit for service now. I am glad that you all keep fairly well notwith- 

 standing the wretched weather you have had. Give my love to Darwin 

 and to Erasmus when you see them next. I am very glad that George 

 Darwin receives those family mementoes. He is the best representative 

 of the Darwin family, and had great affection for the Admiral, of whom he 

 saw much at Malta (I think) when flag-lieutenant to the Admiral's ship. 

 feel the war fever in his veins, from his brother-in-law's going 

 out so pluckily and from his many neighbours doing the 

 same. I see in the newspapers a quoted chorus of disapprovals 

 of Arthur Balfour's speech, which I myself like very much. 



Professor Sayce has just called and taken us off to tea in 

 his boat. It is the largest and broadest on the river, its yard- 

 arm is 134 ^ ee t l° n g> so three of them end to end would reach 

 far higher than any English Cathedral ; I think Strasburg is 

 only 400 feet high. v ' ' 



Eva sends you a drawing of her only surviving pet, with her best love. It is about § scale. 



Ever very affectionately. Francis Galton. 



Address still to Hotel Angleterre, Cairo, Egypt. Sunday, March 4, 1900. Posted 

 March 5. 



Dearest Emma and Bessy, We are still at Helouan (Tewfik Palace Hotel) but the above 

 is our address. The last letter I had from you was dated Feb. 1G ; it was received Feb. 22, and 

 was answered the same day. We are quite well, but are bothered by the difficulties in the way 

 of simply camping out in the Desert, which I thought had been overcome, but are still going 

 on. According to what an excellent dragoman now assures us, there is always a risk with the 

 Bedouins unless elaborate and costly arrangements are made. We shall hear more from him 

 after his inquiries. There has been something of interest nearly every day since I wrote. On 

 Friday I drove with Professor Schweinfurth in one carriage, and Admiral and Mrs Blomfield in 

 another, across the desert and along valleys for two or three hours. Then we picnicked, botanised 

 and geologised for four hours and then returned, after seeing (1) an ancient barrage, built of stones, 

 in the time of the Early Pharaohs, to dam the water when it ran down the creek, (2) some true 

 Jericho roses, of which I send a few (see further on). Tf you dip them in water they begin to 

 expand, almost instantly, into a true flower. The false Jericho rose is the one usually so called, 

 but it is merely aseed- vessel with dryfibres grasping it, and which expands imperfectly and slowly. 



* Sons of Galton's niece, Mrs Lethbridge. 



