HOW WE FARED ON CHRISTMAS-DAY. 7 



the time from the south-east, the sky overcast and the 

 day therefore cool. Mohamed at Suez did his utmost to 

 get into our good graces, and, fearing lest anything in 

 his charge might be stolen, would guard our stores by 

 night and by day. To-day Albert has come to the 

 front in a critical moment during the transfer of our 

 baggage to the ' Dessouk,' in consequence of Emanuel 

 having drunk success to the expedition just once too 

 often with his friends at Suez to be of any use at the 

 time. 



By universal consent we have decided that a light 

 breakfast at 8 A.M., a more substantial one at 1 1.30 A.M., 

 dinner at 5 P.M., and supper at 9 P.M., will be the best 

 way to kill time on board ship compatible with health ; 

 and our cook, Mohamed, has been appointed chef de 

 cuisine. 



Dec. 25. With the thermometer standing at 84 in 

 the shade, it is difficult to realise that this is really Christ- 

 mas-day, but we have not been without the means of 

 bearing it in mind in a social sense, thanks to a 

 present from Mr. Grace, our Alexandrian agent, of a 

 plum-pudding of most perfect home manufacture, and 

 to another from the Peninsular and Oriental Company 

 of some ice by which we were able to conceal any slight 

 deficiencies in the quality of Cairo champagne; nor have 

 we lacked the musical element, for Mayo has a banjo, 

 and is accompanied by an English engineer of the 



