Letter from William James Herschel, to 'Dear Maia' [Maria Sophia Herschel] He compliments Maria on the new spelling of her name. He cannot write with ink, because there is too much sand flying about, the colour of coffee grounds served at a railway cafe in Alexandria. [Resuming in ink] He began the letter yesterday morning and continues it in the shade at his hotel in Suez. He comments on how pleasing the Red Sea is, with a description of the tints of sea and desert sand dunes. They said goodbye the Joseph and Henry at Cairo. He refers to Emma's health and other personal messages. 19 November 1864