Cook and Son's Egyptian business, and has, I believe, since risen higher in the service of the firm. The great Dam at Assouan was just completed and we traversed its entire length on a trolley propelled by natives. Assouan detained us for four days; then, time being important, we travelled back to Cairo by railway. Three more interesting days were passed in the Babylonian city, then homewards we went by the quickest route attainable. Whilst in Cairo and on our journey up the Nile, Bailey and I wrote, jointly, a series of seven articles on "Egypt and its Railways." These appeared in the _Railway News_ in seven successive weeks during December and January. Our last hours in the land of the Pharaohs were filled with regret at having to leave it so soon. Said Bailey: "Cannot you, before we go, write a verse of Farewell?" So I composed the following:-- Egypt, farewell, and farewell Father Nile, Impenetrable Sphinx, eternal pile Of broad-based pyramid, and spacious hypostyle! Farewell Osiris, Anubis and Set, Horus and Ra, and gentle Meskenhet, Ye sacred gods of old, O must we leave you yet? The mighty works of Ramesis the Great, Memphis, Karnak and Thebes asseverate The pomp and glory, Egypt, of your ancient state. Bright cloudless land! Your skies of heavenly blue Bend o'er your fellaheen the whole day through; Night scarce diminishes their sweet celestial hue. Realm of enchantment, break your mystic spell, Land of the lotus, smiling land farewell! For ever it may be, what oracle can tell? CHAPTER XXVII. KING EDWARD, A CHANGE OF CHAIRMEN, AND MORE RAILWAY LEGISLATION