DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17#0219
MY COTTAGE AT SHELLAL.
199
he went away broken hearted. This accounted for such a good house being
found in such a wilderness. Being substantially built it still was a pretty
place. It was surrounded by a garden, and the whole house was shaded with
a creeping plant covered with lilac flowers. The building was in good order
and was now owned by an old Greek named Spero. He had tried to establish
a little business with the soldiers; they were now gone and he was quite
willing to have me for a tenant. I had had no company on the Tatuai save
Nubian watchmen, to whom I could not speak ; but I hired a felucca, manned
by two intelligent Nu-
bian lads—a pretty little
craft, with one great
sail, rather the worse for
wear. I spent my time
cruising round my is-
land, landing at various
points to sketch, and in
this way I made many
little pictures of Philas
and its temples. I had
for attendant a tall,
strong, good - looking
Nubian, who had been
servant to one of the
railway engineers, but
now was without em-
ployment. I liked the
look of the man, and,
finding that he knew
some English, I employed him for one day, being really in want of someone to
talk to. I had that man for nine weeks. He bore an unpronounceable Nubian
name, so I called him Achmet, which did quite well, and I understand has
stuck to him ever since. He was a treasure. I would have liked to bring him
home with me.
My landlord Spero was an unhappy-looking soul, a man of few words, and
those were Greek. His miserable face, Achmet explained, was owing to his
being a martyr to rheumatism, which had driven him from his own country and
elsewhere, and it was only at this low latitude that he could have any freedom
from constant pain and sleeplessness. Spero, for a most moderate sum, under-
took to clear and clean out his house and supply me with lodging—two rooms,
PHARAOH'S BED, Pii
199
he went away broken hearted. This accounted for such a good house being
found in such a wilderness. Being substantially built it still was a pretty
place. It was surrounded by a garden, and the whole house was shaded with
a creeping plant covered with lilac flowers. The building was in good order
and was now owned by an old Greek named Spero. He had tried to establish
a little business with the soldiers; they were now gone and he was quite
willing to have me for a tenant. I had had no company on the Tatuai save
Nubian watchmen, to whom I could not speak ; but I hired a felucca, manned
by two intelligent Nu-
bian lads—a pretty little
craft, with one great
sail, rather the worse for
wear. I spent my time
cruising round my is-
land, landing at various
points to sketch, and in
this way I made many
little pictures of Philas
and its temples. I had
for attendant a tall,
strong, good - looking
Nubian, who had been
servant to one of the
railway engineers, but
now was without em-
ployment. I liked the
look of the man, and,
finding that he knew
some English, I employed him for one day, being really in want of someone to
talk to. I had that man for nine weeks. He bore an unpronounceable Nubian
name, so I called him Achmet, which did quite well, and I understand has
stuck to him ever since. He was a treasure. I would have liked to bring him
home with me.
My landlord Spero was an unhappy-looking soul, a man of few words, and
those were Greek. His miserable face, Achmet explained, was owing to his
being a martyr to rheumatism, which had driven him from his own country and
elsewhere, and it was only at this low latitude that he could have any freedom
from constant pain and sleeplessness. Spero, for a most moderate sum, under-
took to clear and clean out his house and supply me with lodging—two rooms,
PHARAOH'S BED, Pii