1869-71 FIRST VISIT TO EGYPT 191 



Alexandria on the 9th. . . . The Prince of 

 Wales, Duke of Sutherland, and their suite join 

 us at Cairo. ... It is impossible to imagine 

 more favourable conditions for enjoying what I 

 have long cherished — a desire to see that won- 

 derful old historical country.' 



Owen kept an interesting record of all his 

 experiences during his Egyptian tour. These 

 notes, despatched at intervals to his wife on this 

 and his subsequent visits to Egypt, would of 

 themselves easily fill a volume ; but only a few 

 extracts of general interest are given here. 



1 On board the " Nyanza," ' he writes (Janu- 

 ary 11), • were the Bishop of Bombay (Dr. Dou- 

 glas) and His Excellency Nubar Pacha, who 

 promised me a practised fisherman for the Nile 

 and salt lakes. . . . The steamer lay to about 

 forty miles from Alexandria, waiting till daylight 



to be piloted through the intricate passages 



Then we saw that all the Egyptian ships were 

 dressed out in holiday colours, and as we came 

 among them to the anchorage a salute was fired 

 from the fort and answered by the men-o'-war. 

 It was a most unexpected gala. Some said it 

 was for the arrival of Nubar Pacha, some for the 

 Bishop, others for the Professor. One rationalist 

 of the party suggested that with the new moon 

 the feast of Rhamadan ended this year and the 

 feast of Beiram began. And so it was. 



' After landing, Nubar invited Mr. Fowler, Sir 



