who jumped over and swam ashore in Malta, and were taken are now "in the brig," and the lady of our ship has been using her influence to have their punishment lessened -it being the holiday season, and so on. I do not like to ask whether she has succeeded or not, for, as you will see, it is really none of my business. But I have great confidence in the persuasive powers of Mrs. Grant, and I only allude to this incident because it gives me an excuse for referring to her generous and thoughtful character, to that never-failing kindness and amiability which go so far to enhance the pleasure of our trip. As you stand on the quarterdeck and see the well ordered movements of the ship; the men in uniform going from place to place; the calls, the commands; the great menacing guns crouching under the ports; as you watch the always changing novelty of a man-of-war's duties, and feel the soft, warm air coming over the calmest of summer seas, you begin to feel that there is some attraction in a sailor's career. You see we are all on the sharp lookout this morning, for Strong has just been to the chart room, and announces that land may be seen at any time. Strong is the navigating officer, and I sometimes fear he has sold himself to the common enemy of mankind, or how else could he prophesy to the minute when we shall see certain rocks and lights. Why should he sit up all hours of the night figuring, figuring huge columns of figures, unless-well, I will not venture my suspicions. He has told us this morning that we may see land at any moment, and we all believe in Strong, and look steadily at the horizon now fringed with a shining mist. How glorious the sea is when her majesty is in repose! Under the forecastle is a group of young officers, and we hear sounds of laughter. The Marquis is out in full force, and is entertaining our friends with anecdotes of high life in Paris and renderings, recitative and musi

cal, from the operas of M. Offenbach. The fringe of shining mist assumes a form-a low, white beach, and, as we look closer, tapering lines and towers. We know, then, that the coast before us is really Egypt-the land of imagination and fable-and that these tapering lines and towers are the minarets of Islam. It is not long before we come inside the port of Alexandria, and before our engines are stopped we hear the cheers from the ships and the Egyptian bands playing our national airs. These dear old strains were the last we heard at Malta and the first we hear at the Nile. You see the protecting telegraph has hovered over us and friends knew of our coming, and before this letter reaches the shore it must pass through the smoke of the cannon now about to thunder Egypt's welcome to General Grant.

On the 5th of January the party reached Alexandria. The writer continues:-Our reception was most enthusiastic. The Vandalia had hardly anchored when the Governor of the district, the admiral and the generals, pachas and beys, the Consul General, Mr. Farman; the

Vice-Consul, Mr. Salvage; Judges Barringer and Morgan, and the missionaries all came on board. The reception lasted an hour, and as each officer was saluted according to his rank, and the salutes were returned, there was smoke enough in the air for a naval engagement, and we could almost fancy another battle of the Nile like that fought, only a step or two up the coast, one eventful day nearly eighty years ago. The Governor, in the name of the Khedive, welcomed General Grant to Egypt, and offered him a palace in Cairo and a special steamer up the Nile. It is Oriental etiquette to return calls as soon as possible, and accordingly in the afternoon the General, accompanied by his son, Commander Robeson, Chief Engineer Trillay and Lieutenant Handy, of the navy, landed in the official barge. As this was an official visit, the Vandalia manned the yards and fired twenty-one guns. These salutes were responded to by the Egyptian vessels. A guard of honor received the General at the palace, and the reception was after the manner of the Orientals. We enter a spacious chamber and are seated on a cushioned seat or divan, according to rank. The Pacha-who has a Greek face and, I presume, is a Greek-offers the company cigarettes. Then compliments are exchanged, the Pacha saying how proud Egypt is to see the illustrious stranger, and the General answering that he anticipates great pleasure in visiting Egypt. The Pacha gives a signal, and servants enter bearing little porcelain cups about as large as an egg, in filagree cases. This is the beverage-coffee-or, as was the case with this special pacha, a hot drink spiced with cinnamon. Then the conversation continues with judicious pauses, the Orientals being slow in speech and our General not apt to diffuse his opinions. In about five minutes we arise and file down stairs in slow, solemn fashion, servants and guards saluting, and the visit is over.

The General and Mrs. Grant went to dine, and in the evening we had a ball and a dinner at the house of our Vice-Consul, Mr. Salvage. This was an exceedingly brilliant entertainment, and interesting in one respect, especially because it was here that the General met my renowned friend and colleague, Henry M. Stanley, just fresh from the African wilderness. The General had heard of Stanley's being in town, and had charged me to seek him out and ask him to come on board and dine. My letter missed Stanley, and we met at the Consul's. Stanley sat on the right of the General, and they had a long conversation upon African matters and the practical results of the work done by our intrepid friend. The Consul General proposed the health of General Grant, and Judge Barringer proposed that of Mrs. Grant, who, by the way, was prevented by fatigue from coming. Then a toast was proposed in honor of Stanley, who made a grateful response, saying it was one of the proudest moments in his life to find himself seated by our guest. Stanley looks quite gray and somewhat thinner than when I saw him in New York, just before his departure, three years ago. I gave him all the news I could remember about friends in New York and elsewhere. Next morning Mr. Farman, our Consul-General, and myself, saw him on board the Brindisi steamer, which was to carry him to Europe to new honors and the enjoyment of a well earned and enviable renown. The entertainment at Mr. Salvage's at an end, we returned on board. The next day was Sunday. The General, accompanied by a friend, landed, meaning to stroll about the town. Walking is one of the General's occupations, and he never sees a town until he has gone ashore and lost himself. His eye for topography is remarkable; but that is a military quality, after all, and in Alexandria, one of the most huddled up and bewildering