once. Amongst them was a little exhibition of mineralogy and
archaeology, maps and plans, sketches and croquis, at the
Hippodrome.

I need hardly say that his Highness at once saw the gist of the
matter. Many concessions had been applied for, even from
Australia; but the Viceroy determined that, before any could be
granted, careful analyses of the specimens must be made, at his
Highness's private expense, in London. M. Ferdinand de Lesseps,
of world-wide fame, volunteered, in the most friendly way, to
submit echantillons of the rocks to the Parisian Academie des
Sciences, of which he is a distinguished member. The Viceroy was
also pleased spontaneously to remind me of, and to renew, the
verbal promise made upon my return from the first Expedition to
Midian; namely, that I should be honoured with a concession, or
that a royalty of five per cent. on the general produce of the
mines should be the reward of discovery. The young Minister of
Finance, Prince Husayn Kamil Pasha, after courteously
congratulating me upon the successful result of our labours, put
as usual the most pertinent of questions.

The opening of our little Exposition was delayed by sundry
difficulties. The Greek Easter set in with its usual severity
about later April. A general shop-shutting, a carouse unlimited,
catholic, universal; and, despite stringent police orders, a
bombardment of the town by squibs and crackers, were the
principal features of the fete. The 29th was the classical Shamm
el-Nasin, or "the Smelling of the Zephyr," a local May-day
religiously kept with utter idleness. Mr. W. E. Hayns and I
utilized it by going a flint-hunting on the left bank of the