ever spent in my life. Cook, the tourist, placed a steamer at my disposal to enable me to visit the Pyramids of Sakhara, which are about 15 miles up the Nile on its left bank, and 5 or 6 miles inland. The Nile is now at full flood, a noble river, nearly, I should say, if not quite half a mile broad, the country on each side quite low and flat for a distance, each side varying from 3 to 5 miles, where a low range of hills borders the landscape, the Arabian (so-called) on the right bank, the Lybian on the left; the intermediate land forms the valley of the Nile, beyond which on both sides there is nothing but desert. The vegetation along the shore, including masses of date trees which are very beautiful owing to their ripe, richly coloured fruit, and the exquisite colouring of this country, made our three hours' voyage a very pleasant one, though our progress was slow against a current of four or five miles an hour. On landing, we found donkeys ready for us; our road lay through the ruins of Memphis, and along a dyke with inundated land like a large sea on each side. I am not going to bore you with an account of the Pyramids and Tombs of Sakhara; they are of surpassing interest and beyond the powers of adequate description.... I look upon it quite as a settled thing that the English army will evacuate Cairo some time in the course of this winter, that a Brigade of about three battalions and perhaps two batteries of artillery, etc., will remain in occupation of Alexandria, and that the rest of the force will be sent home. I shall probably be retained in Egypt. I think this is what will happen, and in probably a month's time it will all be settled. Whether this will be wise policy or not remains to be seen, — my own opinion is that the withdrawal of our troops from Cairo is premature, and that we should remain until the administrative measures now in progress have made a greater advance; the new policy requires support which I think we are withdrawing too soon; the constabulary is not yet formed, and the loyalty of the Egyptian army has not been sufficiently tested.
Things may, and probably will go right, but there is an uncertainty about the immediate future which we ought not to incur. On the other hand, our presence in Egypt costs the Khedive upwards of;^300,ooo a year, and it will be a great thing for him to reduce this charge by one-half. Then, again, he and his Government wish, naturally enough, to be left a little more to themselves, and our own Government pretend that by this withdrawal of our troops they are carrying out their pledge; but this construction of their policy will bear, I think, another interpretation, for the declaration they made was to the effect that they would withdraw when reforms had made sufficient progress to justify their doing so; but at present this progress is slight, it is mostly commencing, and is far from being consolidated. We must be careful that this country does not lapse into its former condition, or that by diminishing our influence in Cairo we open the door to the intrigues of some other country. Vincent,^ the new Financier, is expected here in fourteen days — six months ago he was a subaltern in the Guards. He is a clever fellow, but his youth and inexperience have put up the backs of some other hands out here who will have to serve under him. — Yours affectionately,
Fredk. Stephenson.
To his Sister
Cairo, October 15, 1883.
My dear Minnie, —... We shall all be glad at Cairo to know what is intended to be done with us. In the meantime it looks very much as if troubles would break out elsewhere, for France is doing all she can to create them, and is insulting one nation after another; things cannot go on in this way much longer without an outbreak, and it seems highly probable that this will take place in France itself, where another revolution may take place any day; their Government is discredited everywhere, and has no hold upon the people. Fancy if one is sent on to China again! it is
1883] DEATH OF COLONEL R. HAMILTON 303
quite upon the cards. Partly in anticipation of being suddenly moved from Cairo, I have thought it as well to see as much of this neighbourhood as I could beforehand, and made a most interesting excursion to a spot in the Desert called Sakhara.... An excursion up the Nile as far as the First Cataract is what I now long to see, if I can manage to do so before leaving.... — Ever yours affectionately,
Fredk. Stephenson.
To his Brother
Cairo, October 15, 1883.