One of the passengers on our steamer is Mrs. Baring, sisterin-law of the British Resident of Egypt, Lord Cromer, and while at Luxor she was invited to an Arabic dinner by the British Consul at that place, who is a native. She had our party included in the invitation, and Emily and Martha [the young ladies of our party] went with Mrs. Baring. They report quite an amusing experience. They sat on cushions on the floor around a very large brass waiter. They were furnished no knives or forks - only a spoon and a towel. First, water was brought in and they all washed their hands, as they were to eat with their fingers and the host to carve with his! The first course was soup in a large bowl placed on the waiter, and they all dipped in with their spoons. Then came a roast, which was torn to pieces by the host with his fingers and handed to the guests, which they took in their fingers and proceeded to eat. Then followed other courses of turkey, lamb, etc., with vegetables, the latter being the most difficult to get to the mouth from the central dish.The guests were expected to eat everything, and as a result one of our girls was ill the rest of the night, with something like cholera morbus. The dinner was long-drawn-out and their feet went to sleep while sitting so long cross-legged. I congratulated myself in not having to be one of the guests.

Two days ago we celebrated Thanksgiving Day. Young Mr. Cook, one of the sons of the founder of Cook's Tours, was on our boat, a courteous and interesting young man. He is engaged to an American young woman whom he met last year on the Nile, and he was quite interested to know what we did on this American holiday. We told him of our dinners, with turkey, plum-pudding, etc., and so he ordered a fine dinner, with several large turkeys brought on the table, plum-pudding, and as many other American dishes as could be furnished. Our girls had prepared an invitation to the Thanksgiving exercises, in the shape of an obelisk with Egyptian hieroglyphics, which was put on the plate of all the

passengers. During the dinner Mr. Cook had had the decks cleared, and made brilliant with electric lights, the piano brought out, and everything made ready for a dance. The combined talent of the American passengers had drafted a "proclamation" full of antique and Egyptian allusions, which was read to the assembled company after dinner, champagne and refreshments were served, when your father proposed a toast to Thomas Cook & Sons, with a complimentary speech in their honor, which was replied to by young Mr. Cook; "My Country, 't is of thee" and "God save the Queen" were sung to the same tune; and the exercises terminated with dancing. It was pronounced a great success, and we shall all remember our Thanksgiving on the Nile!

Mahomet, our dragoman, dresses in the finest and most brilliant silks, cloths, and turbans, and comes every day and sits, Turkish fashion, at our feet and entertains us with marvelous stories. He is never done praising Mr. Cook, telling his experiences in Chicago, and discoursing about Isis, Osiris, Hathor, Rameses, and the rest. He also gives us Arabic problems to solve. Here is a sample of them: A man died leaving two sons and a ten-gallon jar of honey to be divided equally between them. They have only a seven-gallon measure and a one-gallon measure. How can it be divided? Another was, a man left seventeen cows to be divided among three sons, the eldest to have one half, the second one third, and the youngest one ninth; how can they be divided? They called in a wise judge, who put in one of his cows, making eighteen in all. Then he called the first son and said, "How much are you to have?" "One half," he said. "Well, how much is one half of seventeen?" "Eight and one half," he replied. "Well, will you be satisfied with nine?" "Certainly," he replied (which is the half of eighteen). Then he said to the second son, "What is your share?" "One third," he answered. "Well, how much is one third of seventeen?" "Five and two thirds," he said. "Well, will you be satisfied with six

cows?" "Certainly." And to the youngest, "What is your share?" "One ninth of seventeen." "Will you be content with two cows?" "Certainly." So he gave the eldest nine, the second six, and the last two, seventeen in all, and he took his own cow back home! ..

After our return from the Nile trip, we spent a week in and about Cairo, and took a P. & O. steamer at Ismailia for Ceylon.

The most noted person that I met in Egypt was Lord Cromer, the British Resident in Cairo, whom I saw several times and had one long conversation with him, in which he reviewed his work in Egypt up to that time, and gave me some indication of his projects for the future. He impressed me as a man of decided ability and well fitted for the trying position he occupied. As Major Baring, he was trained in English methods of foreign rule in India. As Sir Evelyn Baring, he was transferred to Egypt on its occupation by the British forces, and he has discharged his duties as political chief of his Government with eminent success. No one understands better than he the hectoring ways of British rule when thought necessary to be applied, and, to use one of our Americanisms, as "bulldozer" to the Khedive he has proved an adept. As illustrative of the scope of his influence, I may mention one of the current stories I heard at Cairo. It was made known that the young ruler had become enamoured of a French actress and was contemplating marriage. It was understood that Lord Cromer on learning of his intention placed a veto on it, insisting that such an alliance would lower the dignity of the throne; but ill-natured critics say it was because his lordship feared such a connection might make French intrigues more easy.

Lord Cromer, after a successful service in Egypt of twentyfive years, retired in 1907 with a promotion to the peerage and the vote by Parliament of a gratuity of fifty thousand

pounds, he having served his country and mankind through long life without enriching himself.

The healthful character of British influence in foreign lands has never been more conspicuously shown than during the occupation of Egypt. No one who has any knowledge of the history and condition of that country prior to that occupation can fail to note the great improvement which has been wrought. The state of affairs which I have noticed as to other parts of the Turkish Empire applied with full force to Egypt previous to the entrance of the British army in 1882. The bankrupt condition of the country, its empty treasury, squandered resources, and the utter ruin of its credit, added to the prevailing disorder, were the alleged cause of the British occupation in the interest of the foreign bondholders.

Up to the time I visited the country in 1893, a wonderful transformation had been effected under British control. The financial condition had been completely reversed. Order had taken the place of lawlessness, and life and property were everywhere safe. A number of reforms had been brought about, such as the abolition of forced labor; taxes were equitably levied and honestly collected; justice was impartially administered; a general system of education had been established; railroads had been extended; irrigation, the essential need of the country, had been greatly increased; and was better maintained than ever before. And since the date of my visit these conditions have continued to be steadily developed and improved. It may be truly asserted that not since the dawn of history have the people of Egypt enjoyed a better government than to-day under British protection.

CHAPTER XXIX

INDIA

OUR sail through the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean to Colombo, Ceylon, was pleasant but uneventful. I was especially struck with the care taken by Great Britain to protect her route to India — the series of possessions and fortifications - Malta, Cyprus, Egypt, in the Red Sea, at Aden and the opposite African territory, along the Arabian coast, and the Persian Gulf.

Colombo we found a very busy port. The day we landed there were six P. & O. steamers in port, to and from Australia, Bombay, Calcutta, Singapore, and other ports, besides steamers of other lines. We spent ten days in Ceylon which were full of interest. The luxuriant and variegated vegetation, the native races, and the beautiful scenery were a constant attraction. The ride up to Kandy and the botanical garden at Peradenia were a great source of delight to us. We visited the Catholic mission at Colombo, in company with the wife of the American Consul, a native Christian. The Catholic missionaries had been quite successful in this island, and were constructing an imposing cathedral. Their work there we found in charge of an American priest, who gave us a hearty welcome and seemed delighted to see us.

From Colombo we crossed over the strait to southern India, landing at Tuticorin, and made our first stop at Madura, so celebrated for its Hindu temple, one of the most holy in India, a home of their god Siva. It is one of the largest and most elaborately finished, its grotesque figures and carvings being among the most striking in this country of marvelous architecture. It is said to have cost twenty millions of dollars. Our visit to it is described by Mrs. Foster.