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[Page 159]
cause a heavy swell in the Atlantic. Yesterday the 5th of January we reached Port Said, which from the ship, we did not go ashore, looked a very fine town. The buildings all look new and fresh as there is hardly ever any rain to stain them.We anchored near the entrance to the canal to take on water and stores. Near the entrance to the Port is a statue of Lesseps, the mastermind of the great work. Before we were anchored even, the Arabs, Jews, Gippos, and half a dozen other nationalities were crowding around in their old tubs with fruit post cards and curios for sale. "Nice oranges, Tomate", yells the hawker. How much? Two shilline. Too dear, 1/6, go on 1/- and a bargain is struck after much lengthy argument. I bought a curio stick for 5/- the vendor started it at 15/- and came down after the usual harangue. I heard him afterwards offering it at 12/- and was informed that someone bought at that price.They are very picturesque these sons of Ibrahim and d-dirty. Some wear faded European clothes, others dirty gowns, red fez caps and some wear a firm dirt coating but mostly dirt. The vendor of newspapers stood on the gangway and yelled Egyptian Times latest news today, latest tomorrow, how about next week suggest someone. Across the strip of land on which Port Said was situated, one could see the Lake Menzaleh, with its many white sailed feluccas all forming a picturesque scene. We set sail from Said, just about sunset, and during the night passed several camps on the banks of the canal. Early morning showed we were still in the canal. On either side the bare, and irregular desert stretched away into the dusty mist that hung on the horizon, unrelieved by any trees except the date palms where the freshwater canals run. Around the freshwater canals, were verdant patches of green fellakins huts and signs of life in general.