as a companion, and among the inmates saw an American
suffering from fever and chronic rheumatism. In one
of the cells, guarded by a couple of Arab sentries, we
found a young, fair-haired, blue-eyed Greek sailor, who
had murdered an Arab girl through jealousy the night
before. I was struck by the gentle, inoffensive expression
on his face; hut I suppose he did not deserve the
pity I felt for him. A public square, planted with trees,
shrubs, and flowers, forms an oasis in the midst of the
desert of dusty streets, and white-washed or stucco houses.
Most of the houses are two-storied, and furnished with
cool, shady verandahs; and in some cases they are
covered with the green drapery of a large convolvulus,
which adds much to the picturesque effect of walls and
fences throughout the place. In the gardens, bananas,
date-palms, bamboo, and other vegetation common to
hothouses at home, here grow in the open air, with no
other protection than that afforded bjT a belt of tall reeds.
Nothing is produced here, even the necessary fruits and
culinary vegetables being brought from Malta, or the
Mediterranean ports. Soil and fresh water for the little
gardens has to be procured from Ismalia, fifty miles away.
In the markets we found plenty of ripe grapes, fine
pomegranates, water-melons, and great pithy-skinned
oranges. Vegetables consisted of lettuce, onions, beet,
the Egyptian turnip-rooted kind, peas, okre, and gourds.
Most of the stands were attended by lazy Arab women,
of various ages, who sat cross-legged among their goods,
and kept off the flies with switches of horse-hair. A
tight-fitting cap, ornamented with little gold coins,
covered their heads, and their figures were enshrouded
in great black cloaks, reaching to their heels.
We saw some old Arabs watering the hot and dusty
streets with sea-water, which they carried in large skin
“ bottles,” slung behind them, so that the march of
modern progress has not yet obliterated all the old
customs and utensils of these singularly primitive people.
We took about a hundred tons of coal on board here.
This was brought to the side of the vessel in lighters,
SHE OP THE MARKET.
and carried up sloping planks by some fifty or sixty
swarthy fellows, who kept up a droning chant the whole
time. They each carried up about a hundred weight
at once in a basket; and the whole gang reminded' one
of a colony of black ants, as they swarmed up one plank
in quick succession, and trotted down another, after
disposing of their dirty load. Perhaps the Pyramids,
and other gigantic architectural erections, were reared by
myriads of ant-like workers, similar to these we now saw.
Two mail steamers entered the Canal before us, and it