Edwards, Amelia B.: A thousand miles up the Nile (New York, [1888])

410 A THOUSAND MILkS UP THE NILE.

delighted to educate—having spent two years in England

as the guest of Lord D------, had become an accomplished

Englishman.

In the round of gayety that goes on at Luxor the British
consulate played the leading part. Mustapha Aga enter-
tained all the English dahabeeyahs, and all the English
dahabeeyahs entertained Mustapha Aga. We wore invited
to several fantasias at the consulate, and dined with
Mustapha Aga at his suburban house the evening before
we left Luxor.

The appointed hour was 8.30 p. M. We arrived amid
much barking of dogs, and were received by our host in a
large empty hall surrounded by a divan. Here we remained
till dinner was announced. We were next ushered through
an ante-room where two turbaned and barefooted servants
were in waiting; the one with a brass basin and ewer, the
other with an armful of Turkish towels. AVe then, each
in turn, held our hands over the basin; had water poured
on them ; and received a towel apiece. Those towels we
were told to keep ; and they served for dinner-napkins.
The ante-room opened into a brilliantly lighted dining-
room of moderate size, having in the center a round brass
table with an upright fluted rim, like a big tray. Eor
each person were placed a chair, a huge block of bread, a
wooden spoon, two tumblers, and a bouquet. Plates,
knives, forks, there were none.

The party consisted of the happy couple, the director of

the Luxor telegraph oflice, L------, the writer, Ahmed, and

our host.

" To-night we are all Arabs," said Mustapha Aga, as ho
showed us where to sit. " We drink Nile water and we
eat with our fingers."

So we drank Nile water ; and for the first time in our
lives we ate with our fingers. In fact, we found them
exceedingly useful.

The dinner was excellent. AVithout disrespect to our
owji accomplished chef, or to the accomplished chefs of
our various friends upon the river, I am bound to say that
it was the very best dinner I ever eat out of Europe.
Everything was hot, quickly served, admirably dressed,
and the best of its kind. Here is the menu :