1869-71 IMPROMPTU LECTURES ON ROYAL YACHT 199 



hands, landed me across. I was protesting with 

 dignity that such assistance was unnecessary, as 

 I was now quite used to the plank, when by the 

 flare of the torches I saw it was the Prince who 

 had come to the rescue. The Duke of Sutherland 

 had told him of my first hesitation with the plank, 

 and the Prince had hurried on for this bit of fun.' 



After visiting Siout, some impromptu lectures 

 were got up. 



' The Prince showed me all his bird-skins (I 

 forgot to say he had an excellent taxidermist with 

 him), and he had just shot a fine wild drake. 

 Fowler had with him his Report and Plans of the 

 Suez Canal, and I had some fossils illustrative of its 

 geology. It being announced that the Princess was 

 ready, we proceeded to the dining saloon, at the 

 door of which Lord Carrington posted himself with 

 " Tickets, gentlemen." I produced the smallest 

 of Egyptian coins (value gVh °f a farthing), and 

 went in to find the chairs already arranged. A 

 large plan of the isthmus hung in front of the 

 piano ; on one side of it stood Fowler to give his 

 discourse, and on the other side I sat with the 

 Princess's parasol to point out the localities re- 

 ferred to. Fowler gave an excellent clear account 

 of the wonderful undertaking. I followed with a 

 brief reference to the geology of the isthmus, 

 showing a very large shark's tooth — one of the 

 fossils. The Prince then gave me his seat to 

 tell the ladies how the geological changes had 



