The vessel in which we took passage to Atfi had two giraffes on board, destined for the United States. We did not see them until we went on board the boat. They are a mild and inoffensive animal, and feed on dates, bread, and hay. They were under the special care of a mustapha or janissary of the U. S. Consul, who had engaged to accompany them to the United States. He had with him two Arabs, for the twofold purpose of waiting on himself, and taking care of the giraffes.
The wind up the river was so strong, that we found it much more difficult to get down than we had found it to ascend; and but for the energetic character of Mustapha, who had special orders to be in Alexandria by such a day, we would, in all probability, have had a long passage. He hurried, and scolded, and used his cowskin freely on the crew, hardly sparing the captain, with whom he had some terrible quarrels. The wind was much against us, and we had a few days that were most oppressively hot. At times we were obliged to lie by, and the wind covered us with dust and sand. We at last reached this place, but it took us nearly half as long again as it did to go up. We did not get back, however, without experiencing some of the evils of travelling in Egypt. The hot winds and dust met with on our return, had given sore eyes to all our children. Some of them could hardly see; and Angelo, who had been our factotum in all our travels, was entirely laid up with the same complaint; and under this affliction his heart began to fail him as to the long voyage on which we were about to enter; and he fairly intimated that he felt like changing his purpose, and remaining in the East. He had lived with me above two years. In all my journeys, and travels, and residences, Angelo never left me. He knew enough of English to understand the directions I gave him, and enough of Arabic to have intercourse with the people. I always found him honest, and faithful, and attentive to my wants and interest. I tried again and again to teach him to read, but it really seemed that his talents did not lie that way; after going over the same lesson twenty times, he still could not make it out; and without losing his book, he gradually fell into the way of not using it. He was raised a Catholic, as most of the Maltese are, but had fallen out with his priest before he left Smyrna, and seemed not inclined to have much to do with his church. He generally attended family worship, and either the English or Arabic preaching, but showed a disposition to let little things keep him away. On the whole, he had less religious feeling than his advantages ought to have produced. He always showed much attachment to our children, was a good nurse, and the children loved him. From the early part of our acquaintance, he declared his wish to accompany me home; and up to the day of our reaching Alexandria, I did not doubt that he would do so. I did not indeed see how we could do without him. But now his heart seemed to fail him; his eyes were grievously sore—and, possibly, as the time drew near, he may have had an increase of fears as to how he could live, where no one could understand his language. I am not sure, indeed, that a more special cause existed. He had manifested much kindness of feeling for a young female servant that had spent some time in our family before we left Beyroot. I could not but think that the thoughts of having so many thousand miles between them, had an influence which he did not own, and possibly hardly admitted to his own mind. However that may be, he expressed a desire to remain, and we were able to make such arrangements as allowed of it. He continued his attention to the last day we stayed, and carried with him our best wishes and prayers, that he prove as good a servant of Jesus Christ as he has been to us; and meet us again, where all is love, and purity, and peace.
THE END.
Bradbury and Evans, Printers, Whitefriars
Transcriber's note:
Apparent minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have been retained as printed.
The cover for the eBook version of this book was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
The Table of Contents was added by the transcriber.