Page:Viscount Hardinge and the Advance of the British Dominions into the Punjab.djvu/59

Rh than describe this expedition in Sir Henry's own words: —

'The night was lovely: a full moon, with the Pyramids seen indistinctly on the horizon. We had six or seven men with long poles, with a covered iron grating at the top, in which were placed pieces of dry wood to serve as torches. These men were distributed along the road, running at the rate of four or five miles an hour. The neighing of forty horses, the screams of the camels, the partial obscurity and conflict between the light of the moon and that of the large torches, contributed to make it one of the most extraordinary scenes I had ever witnessed. I am as fresh as when I started, having ridden twenty-four miles there and back.'

On our return to Cairo, our farewell interview with Ibrahim took place. He insisted on giving us a Turkish dinner; and it was strange to see four officers booted and spurred reclining on ottomans, with picturesque attendants to hand round the dishes, no knives and forks being allowed, only chopsticks. Ibrahim himself tore up with his fingers the meat which was placed before him, whilst sherbet and other cooling drinks washed down this Eastern fare.

After taking our final leave, we got into an English landau driven by an Englishman, with a postillion on the leaders, and horsed by animals of the country. After the usual amount of neighing and kicking we at last got under weigh. There were relays of Nubian runners carrying torches as usual, going at the rate