THE ORIGIN OF THE SUEZ CANAL. 157 



a prince. They told me that since his return from 

 Constantinople he had often alluded to ray visit, and 

 spoken to those about him of his former friendship for 

 me. I was told that he had waited to take me with 

 him to Cairo, a journey which he was intending to 

 make by way of the desert, along the Libyan chain of 

 mountains, with an army of ten thousand men. This 

 journey will certainly be an interesting one, and will 

 take ten or twelve days. The start is fixed for 

 Sunday. 



" I see that there is a fresh batch of servants just 

 come in, viz. a kaouadji (chief coffee-maker), accom- 

 panied by several assistants and chiboukchi bachi (a 

 chief of the pipes), escorted by four acolytes with their 

 insignia, consisting of a dozen long pipes with large 

 amber mouthpieces studded with diamonds. Nor is 

 the mission of these personages a sinecure, for in the 

 house of a great Turkish nobleman pipes and small 

 cups of coffee (findjancs) are provided fresh for each 

 caller. 



"An officer of the Viceroy subsequently came to 

 .inform me that his Highness would receive me at 

 twelve at the Gabbari Palace. 



" I thought that from the very fact of my having 

 known the Prince when he was in a very different 

 position that it was all the more incumbent upon me 

 to treat him with the respectful deference which is 

 always so acceptable to the human heart. So I fastened 

 on to my dress coat all my stars and orders. The Vice- 



