DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17#0197
VER A IVI—THE MORNING BATH.
soned with Crosse and
Blackwell's jam, and Hunt-
ley and Palmer's biscuits to
our dessert. At nine Achmet
cleared the floor, and rolled
out my luxurious bedding,
drew the canvas round,
making of my deckhouse a
comfortable bedroom.
The nights were very
cold, and I had to pile all
my wraps on the top of the
Mainour's blankets : but the
air was so sweetly fresh
that I slept at once, till
dawn, bursting in at every
crevice in a flood of warm
sunshine, awakened me.
Then I clapped my hands
and Achmet drew out the
great bath (lent me by my
friend the engineer) from
under the half-deck, and
filled from the Nile. The
bedding rolled back, some
boards were lifted, and I dropped into a six-inch bath of delicious river water.
Then a cup of tea, made by my Etna lamp, was slipped in under the curtain at
seven o'clock. At nine I had breakfast, lunch at one, a cup of refreshing tea
at four, dinner at seven. The difficulty was to have variety, and many
wonderful experiments were made, the mysteries of cooking being unknown.
The Arabs made short work of all my leavings for their supper at dusk after
coming to an anchor. My supply of plates being scanty, the small boy washed
them up after each service by free use of Nile water, frequently diving under
the boat and bringing them up all bright and clean on the other side. I am
afraid he removed the gravy in transit, for he generally came up licking his lips,
and seemed to gnaw all the fowl bones like a dog. Before retiring to rest the crew
often gave me a musical entertainment. Squatting clown in the "fo'castle," each
produced some primitive instrument, and they led the song in turns, all hands
joining in the chorus. They had fair voices for Arabs, and the airs and songs were
PTOLEMY AND CLEOPATRA.
[from Temple 0/ Kam Ombo.)
soned with Crosse and
Blackwell's jam, and Hunt-
ley and Palmer's biscuits to
our dessert. At nine Achmet
cleared the floor, and rolled
out my luxurious bedding,
drew the canvas round,
making of my deckhouse a
comfortable bedroom.
The nights were very
cold, and I had to pile all
my wraps on the top of the
Mainour's blankets : but the
air was so sweetly fresh
that I slept at once, till
dawn, bursting in at every
crevice in a flood of warm
sunshine, awakened me.
Then I clapped my hands
and Achmet drew out the
great bath (lent me by my
friend the engineer) from
under the half-deck, and
filled from the Nile. The
bedding rolled back, some
boards were lifted, and I dropped into a six-inch bath of delicious river water.
Then a cup of tea, made by my Etna lamp, was slipped in under the curtain at
seven o'clock. At nine I had breakfast, lunch at one, a cup of refreshing tea
at four, dinner at seven. The difficulty was to have variety, and many
wonderful experiments were made, the mysteries of cooking being unknown.
The Arabs made short work of all my leavings for their supper at dusk after
coming to an anchor. My supply of plates being scanty, the small boy washed
them up after each service by free use of Nile water, frequently diving under
the boat and bringing them up all bright and clean on the other side. I am
afraid he removed the gravy in transit, for he generally came up licking his lips,
and seemed to gnaw all the fowl bones like a dog. Before retiring to rest the crew
often gave me a musical entertainment. Squatting clown in the "fo'castle," each
produced some primitive instrument, and they led the song in turns, all hands
joining in the chorus. They had fair voices for Arabs, and the airs and songs were
PTOLEMY AND CLEOPATRA.
[from Temple 0/ Kam Ombo.)