PORT SAÏD
June 26th.—At dawn the African coast, scorched by the sun, came into
view. We enter the port and stop opposite the Russian Consulate. Our boat
will enter the Suez Canal only at night, and we shall have time to make
a short trip to Cairo. When we arrived at the railway station we saw the
tail end of the Cairo express passing before our noses. As the next train
left only at six o’clock, we had to put off Egypt, and were glad to find
shelter in a cool little bar surrounded by a tiny garden, where we sat in
the shade and sipped iced drinks, after which we returned on board. Our
boat was loading coal, and all the portholes had to be closed in order
not to get black. I ventured on deck and was instantly transformed into a
negress.
At ten o’clock in the evening we entered the Suez Canal. On our right,
spread as far as the eye could see, Lake Monzaleh. The railway runs along
the shore, separated from the canal by a narrow embankment. We only make
five knots an hour, nevertheless we get before a French warship, from
which they shouted to us, “_Vive la Russie!_” Our captain gave order to
hoist the French flag, whilst our recruits shouted loud hurrahs. Here
comes another steamer with the flag of Britain above it; her funnels are
covered with salt. The ship has surely been a good deal tossed about in
the Indian Ocean. It does not promise us a smooth passage.
June 27th.—We are on Lake Timsah. The railway runs along the shore as
far as Ismailia, to continue its way to Cairo. Flocks of odd white birds
swim on the surface of the lake and chase the fish. On the coast, a
little Arab, completely nude, raced us for a short distance, begging
_baksheesh_. The recruits, having nothing better, throw him crusts of
black bread. On the opposite bank we see pilgrims going to Mecca, and a
caravan of camels off to Suez across the desert, resting under the shade
of a gigantic fig-tree. Egyptian policemen, on camel-back, keep watch on
the banks of the canal here and there. This morning, whilst we took our
breakfast, Sergy was informed that a vessel, bearing the Italian flag,
was approaching us. The ship is returning from Masowah, bringing back
to Europe hollow-cheeked and worn-out looking soldiers, mere shadows of
human beings, covered with parchment skin.