2 ' ' 'LIFE 'WITH THE HAMRAN ARABS. 



myself, and on the arrival by the next mail steamer of 

 Lord Charles Ker it will be complete. Two other 

 friends are waiting here for the departure of the Red Sea 

 steamer on the 22nd viz., the Earl of Ranfurly and Mr. 

 Charles Arkwright, but they purpose landing at a port 

 beyond Souakim, named Massowah, to hunt chiefly in 

 the Bogos country. 



Life in Cairo has been so often described and is now 

 so well known, that it would be but repetition to record 

 our daily doings here, so I shall for the present confine 

 myself to such matters of detail as have immediate 

 reference to our expedition. 



Dec. 14. We have accomplished one important 

 business to-day in having been presented to the Khedive 

 by the Consul-General, who explained to him in French 

 the purport of our visit. With this the Khedive was 

 evidently much amused, but he was greatly astonished 

 at our undertaking so long a journey as to the Soudan 

 merely for sport when there was so much to be ob- 

 tained in our own country. He has promised us every 

 assistance in his power, so far as granting us firmans to 

 the governors of those districts under his rule through 

 which we shall have to pass. 



Afterwards I presented a letter of introduction to 

 Nubar Pasha from Mr. W. H. Russell, and though he is 

 now out of office he may prove of great service to us, for 

 he has most kindly promised me letters both to his 



