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Septmebr 4 - 

We both had a good sleep last night for the first time in many nights, the temperature being a little bit more like what a human being can stand. 

Another catastrophe below however: there [[underlined]] were [[/underlined]] [[strikethrough]] four [[/strikethrough]] ^[[five]] pythons in that Karachi box, and one of them, last night, killed one of our Banksian cockatoos - a $6 snake, and a $100 bird (native prices). Davis says, "If Jennier doesn't keep his snakes in better boxes I don't know what I'm ging to do." And somebody relayed the sory to the Captain, and he is furious, too. It's too bad the python didn't get one of the troublesome Chinese instead of our rarest bird. 

Bill spent the day in bed, still running a slight temperature, and feeling very weak. I have some sort of rheumatism, that sets up an aching in all my joints, and gives me a slight temperature also. 

September 5 - 

We awoke on the edge of the Suez Canal. Suez itself is quite a town, with small-size skyscrapers, and parks, and a statue of DeLesseps just where the canal begins. 

Bill began the day by setting his heart on a shore excursion the excuse being that I had never seen the pyramids. I protested that he was not well enough, and the Captain backed me up, but Bill was determined, and about eight-thirty we left the ship, taking a big Buick car and a guide named Abdul Abdallah. We stopped in a cafe in Suez for a cup of thick Egyptian coffee, and then headed out of town and into the desert. 

The Sahara is one place that lives up to expectations. Sand and sand dunes stretch to the horizon, broken only by the black ribbon of asphalt road, and the occasional scrubby bushes that furnish most unappetizing camel fodder. We saw a camel patrol, which Abdallah says is one of many that have made the desert safe traveling now, and quite different from the days when Bill was here before, and Arabs took pot shots at one simply for the fun of it. I also some something that I have never quite believed in - a mirage. Through the sand dunes, and bordered by brownish green scrub, where several miles of beautiful blue lakes, that wound in and out in lagoon-like patterns, cool and deceptive. 

Towards noon we reached Cairo, and went at once to the Museum. Our time was so short that we [[strikethrough]] tried to see [[/strikethrough]] did not attempt to see more than the galleries devoted to Tutankhamen. Even here there was so much material that one could have spent a week. Models of ships, all sorts of household furnishings, alabaster lamps, jewels - gold, turquoise, enamel - pottery, the gold-encrusted mausoleum, the coffins themselves - it was an overwhelming exhibition. 

From the Museum we went out to the Zoo, which is a very fine one. Bill had received this morning a letter from the American Consul, who enclosed a list of animals that the Zoo was willing to let us have. Armed with this list, we went into the Director's office, but found that he was away, and his assistant knew nothing