combined offices of Consul General in Egypt, and
agent to the Honourable East India Company, was
at his country-house at Rosetta, I hired donkeys,
and was on my way for it after five hours' stay at
Alexandria."

One ludicrous characteristic of the Alexandrian
donkeys is worth recording. Never in
future can we regard the epithet of "an ass,"
as being properly synonymous with stupidity.
The creatures ambled and trotted along very
well during the first day; but on the subsequent
morning, when they clearly perceived
that a long journey was before them, they fell
down intentionally four or five times, with
all the signs of fatigue and weakness. The
drivers informed him that it was a common
practice of the donkeys.

Embarking on the Nile, our traveller made
it his business to navigate the boat himself,
in order to take soundings, and to obtain as
much knowledge as would promote both the
immediate and future objects of his journey.

Mr. Waghorn rested at Rosetta, to recover
from his fatigue, and then set out for Cairo
on a cangé, a sort of boat of fifteen tons'
burthen, with two large latteen-sails. The
rais, or captain, agreed to land him at
Cairo in three days and four nights, or
receive nothing. This he failed to do, in
consequence of the boat grounding on the
shoal of Shallakan. Waghorn's notions of a
reason for fatigue, may be curiously gathered
from a remark he makes incidentally on this
occasion. "The crew," says he, "were almost
fatigued: we have been continually tacking
for five days and nights."  Being out of all
patience, he left the boat, and again mounting
donkeys, proceeded with his servant to Cairo.
He left his luggage behind him, merely taking
his despatches.

Having obtained camels, and a requisite
passport from the Pasha, Mohammed Ali, to
guarantee his safe passage across the Desert
of Suez; Mr. Waghorn left Cairo on the 5th
of December for Suez, and at sun-set had
pitched his tent on the Desert at six miles
distance.

At dawn of day, he was again on his
journey, and managed to travel thirty-four
miles beneath the burning sun before he
halted. The next day he journeyed thirty
miles, and in the evening pitched his tent only
four miles short of Suez. The next day,
he reached the appointed place, and there
rested, the Enterprise not having yet arrived.

While waiting with the greatest impatience
the arrival of this steamer, Mr. Waghorn
appears to have endeavoured to calm
himself by jotting down a few observations
on the Desert he had just crossed. These
observations, slight and few as they are, must
be "made much of," as they are, of all things,
the rarest with him. He always saw the end
before him, and nearly all his observations
were confined to the means of attaining it.

"The Desert of Suez, commencing from Cairo,
is a gentle ascent, about thirty-five miles on the
way; then, the same gradual descent till you
arrive at the plains of Suez. The soil of the first
five miles from Cairo is fine sand; then, coarse
sand, inclinable to gravel. Within twelve miles of
Suez " (notice—he is tired already of description,
and brings you within twelve miles of the place)
"you meet many sand-hills between, till you
arrive at the plains before mentioned, which form
a perfect level for miles in extent, leading you to
the gates of Suez.

"The antelopes I observed in parties of about a
dozen each, and the camel-drivers informed me
that they creep under the shrubs about eighteen
inches high, to catch the drops of dew, which is
the only means they have of relieving their thirst.
I saw partridges in covies of from six to seven,
but nowhere on the wing: they were running
about the Desert, and I was informed they were
not eaten even by the Arabs."

Considering the food they pick up in the
Desert, perhaps this is no wonder.

Having informed us that camels are to be
had very cheaply at Suez—say a dollar each
camel for fifty miles' distance—and that the
water is very brackish, he suddenly adds,
with characteristic brevity, "To save
recapitulation in describing Cossier, it is the
same as Suez, viz., camels are to be had in
abundance at a trifling expense, and the water
is as bad."

He remained at Suez two days, waiting
with feverish anxiety the expected arrival of
the Enterprise. She still did not appear—a
strong N.W. wind blowing directly down the
sea. Being quite unable to endure the
suspense any longer, he determined to embark
on the Red Sea in an open boat, intending to
sail down its centre, in hopes of meeting her
between Suez and Cossier.

All the seamen of the locality vigorously
remonstrated with Mr. Waghorn against
this attempt, and he well knew that
the nautical authorities, both of the East
India House and the British Government,
were of opinion that the Red Sea was not
navigable. But he had important Government
despatches to deliver—had pledged
himself to deliver them on board the
Enterprise, and considering that his course of duty,
as well as his reputation as a traveller, were
at stake, he persisted in his determination.
Accordingly, he embarked in an open boat,
and without having any personal knowledge
of the navigation of this sea, without chart,
without compass, or even the encouragement
of a single precedent for such an enterprise—
his only guide the sun by day, and the North
star by night—he sailed down the centre of
the Red Sea.

Of this most interesting and unprecedented
voyage, the narrative of which everybody
would have read with such avidity, Mr.
Waghorn gives no detailed account. He
disappoints you of all the circumstances.
All intermediate things are abruptly cut off
with these very characteristic words:—
"Suffice it to say, I arrived at Juddah, 620 miles,
in six and a half days, in that boat!" You