I hear that Mr. and Miss North are to be here in a day or two. I hope
you may have sent my saddle by them, for I want it sadly--mine is just
possible for a donkey, but quite too broken for a horse.
Two great Sheykhs of Bishareen and Abab'deh came here and picked me up
out walking alone. We went and sat in a field, and they begged me to
communicate to the Queen of England that they would join her troops if
she would invade Egypt. One laid my hand on his hand and said 'Thou hast
3,000 men in thy hand.' The other rules 10,000. They say there are
30,000 Arabs (bedaween) ready to join the English, for they fear that the
Viceroy will try to work and rob them like the fellaheen, and if so they
will fight to the last, or else go off into Syria. I was rather
frightened--for them, I mean, and told them that our Queen could do
nothing till 600 Sheykhs and 400 Ameers had talked in public--all whose
talk was printed and read at Stambool and Cairo, and that they must not
think of such a thing from our Queen, but if things became bad, it would
be better for them to go off into Syria. I urged great caution upon
them, and I need not repeat that to you, as the lives of thousands may be
endangered. It might be interesting to be known in high places and in
profound secret, as one of the indications of what is coming here.
If the saddle comes, as I hope, I may very likely go up to Assouan, and
leave the boat and servants, and go into the desert for a few days to see
the place of the Bishareen. They won't take anyone else: but you may be
quite easy about me 'in the face' of a Sheykh-el-Arab. Handsome Sheykh
Hassan, whom you saw at Cairo, will go with me. But if my saddle does
not appear, I fear I should be too tired with riding a camel.
The little district of Koos, including Luxor, has been mulcted of camels,
food for them and drivers, to the amount of 6,000 purses--last
week--18,000 pounds, _fact_. I cast up the account, and it tallied with
what I got from a sub _employe_, nor is the discontent any longer
whispered. Everyone talks aloud--and well they may.