The herald., 1898-05-01

tor went out.
The next mo- ing they were early
afoot, and half-past nine saw them on
their way to the river side with their
baggage upon mules.
| Half an hour later-on the stroke of
ten-Ben Ezra theatrically gave the Or
der to least Off" and the lateen sails
of the abdul Aziz," which had been
let fall, filled, and the dahabeah slid
away from the bank, leaving the little
knot of shouting, gesticulating Arab
loafers rapidly astern.
The wind was fairly fresh on the wa
ter, and they shot under the Kasr-en-
Nil bridge at a speed of four or five
miles an hour. Notwithstanding the
humming of the adverse current
against the bows.
Through the day, till the darkness
fell, the dahabeah sailed ON, more
slowly as the sun rose and ate up the
wind, then swifter again in the evening
air. Although the moon was nearly
full, they decided to anchor at night,
and so, when the light began to fail,
the PROV of the abdul Aziz" was
turned shoreward and the anchor
dropped amid much shouting, in Nile
water two fathoms deep, just as the
moon swan upward above the bank
between a knot of waving palms.
The next day and the following five
passed, each very much like the other,
till on the Monday evening after leav-
ing Cairo, the abdul Aziz" tackled
round the last turn of the Nile which
lies between it and Karnak.
Both the doctor and Grant were be-
ginning to get excited, for Ben Ezra had
said a dozen times within the last hour
that if allah wills we shall reach our
voyage end by the rising of the moon"
That night the dahabeah lay under
the bank, at a spot almost midway be-
tween Karnak and Luxor and the doc
tor and Grant realized that within the
next few days they might make discov-
cries that would startle the world.
Next morning at sunrise, Hasan went
ashore from the dahabeah, and walked
along the bank to Luxor, distant about
a couple of miles, in search of fellahin.
Grant and the doctor were also early
awake, and had by nine o'clock, with
the assistance of Hafiz, got the pick
axes, spades, ropes and crowbarS on
deck amidships ready for the journey
across to the other side of the river
in a small cange which had been en-
gagged to convey the exploring party
across the Nile. The small tent, which
they had brought as they intended to
do some camping out, was overhauled,
and the used films of the hand camera
taken out and replaced by others in an
improvised dark room.
Hasan was away most of the day.
Evidently fallahin were not "as thick
as locusts'' as he had told the travellers
in Cairo. But he came back at night
fall with eight sturdy fellows, the
muscles of whose bare arms aroused
Grants admiration.
By six o'clock the next morning the
fellahin, under Hafizs directions, were
lowering the tents, tools, and instru-
ments into the small cange which lay
alongside. The sound of their voices
singing snatches of Egyptian folk
songs, and the noise of the movement
amidships had aroused both Grant and
the doctor betimes.
When they came out of the saloon
they found that Hasan had taken the
dingy-an English one, bought of &
yachtsman the year before by Ben Ezra
and had got himself rowed across to
the other side by two of the crew.
He is capital fellow-he thinks of
everything" said the doctor, as they
saw the dingy in midstream on it's re-
turn journey. tn be bound" he con-
tinued, that Hasan has gone to en-
gage horses, and a pack mule or two
for the baggage; I clean forgot them
last night, when making our plans with
him."
Hasan was soon alongside and upon
questioning him, the Doctors surmise
as to the object of his errand proved to
be correct.
II have hired two horses, fleet as the
wind, for you gentlemen" said he,
when he had made his usual morning
obeisance, and five mules-one for
myself and four for the baggage-such
animals, never such, SO strong and en-
during, were seen before along the val
ley of the Nile Have you eaten your
breakfast, gentlemen? For if So the
sooner we start the faster we arrive
Not yeti" he calculated, as Grant
shook his head. rs it that cook again
that has kept you waiting. Hi, Hafiz!
Tell that son of dog, Tewfik, that if
the meal is not served quick, Ben Ezra
will pay him nothing"
The heavy-eyed cook soon came aft
with the steaming coffee, fruit and
breakfast things, and half an hour later
the whole party consisting of Doctor
Gerard, Grant, Hasan, Hafiz, and the
felahin, We're safely aboard the cange.
and on their way to the Theban side
of the river.
They found the horses and mules
awaiting their arrival, close to the
landing-place, and the strong, quick
fellahin had most of the baggage cord
ed on the pack mules backs by the
time the Englishmen had got comfort
ably mounted.
At dusk, after a fatiguing day, they
pitched the tents, and the last thing,
after the evening meal the two travel
ers and Hasan held consultation, the
doctor explaining the object of their
journey, briefly, and without going
much into detail.
| When Hasan heard the part relating
to Grants strange dream, he grew
grave. 1t turned out afterward that he
was great believer in dreams, visions
and omens, and whilst the doctor was
speaking, he glanced once or twice
rather nervousy-out through the
opening in the tent at the dark figures
of the fellahin seated or reclining
round the Pickering campfire, which
was famed every now and again into
greater brilliance by the light evening
breeze
Tell me the place which YOU seek
for. What 1T is like, AGAIN." he said.
go ahead, Grant, you'd better ex-
plain to him." said his companion.