LIFE ON THE NILE 113 



" But, Mohammed, how did you come to know 

 Mr. Ashley ? " 



*' Oh, I took him and Mr. Steel and Mr. Peech 

 up the Nile twenty-two years ago. Mrs. Ashley, 

 she there, too ; very kind, good people. Mr. Steel 

 and Mr. Peech, they make bets and want to get 

 telegraphs. Very nice gentlemen, all." 



It may not interest my readers very greatly to 

 read how we landed at Assiout and visited the 

 tomb of " The Sacred Wolf," and, higher up the 

 hill, that of King Meri-ka-ra. Most people rode 

 donkeys, but on this occasion we drove with Mr. 

 Gubbins, getting away from the start with much 

 difficulty owing to fighting donkey boys, inter- 

 mixed with mendicants. Mr. Gubbins's servant 

 had become valiant, and was observed at this point 

 donkey-riding in company with two ladies' maids. 



Driving through the market and on our way to 

 the tombs we found the scene strange enough, for 

 in the very narrow streets the people were sitting 

 on either side, with their goods for sale exhibited 

 in front of them, and many of them engaged in 

 shoe-making. How we contrived not to drive over 

 toes or goods is a bit of a puzzle ; but the return 

 journey was still more strange, for we went through 

 both market and bazaar, and by this time there 

 were still more marvellous throngs of people. 

 8 



