PORT SAÏD
We were at Port Saïd at six o’clock in the evening. As soon as we arrived
at the hotel I got to bed at once.
February 29th.—I kept my bed the whole day. It is Carnival-time and
the streets are full of laughing crowds dressed in fantastic costumes,
who showered confetti on each other. I could see from my bed all that
was going on in Lesseps Square. Sergy went out for a walk and returned
accompanied by an Italian youth with a performing monkey arrayed in a red
jacket and fez, perched upon his shoulder. The ugly little animal, whilst
turning somersaults, was watching slyly the opportunity to jump upon my
bed.
March 1st.—We had to go on board the _Laos_ in the middle of the night.
I did not at all like to be turned out of my warm bed, and felt so
miserably weak that I could hardly stand on my feet.
We rocked on the waves in a small rowing-boat for more than an hour,
awaiting permission to step on board the _Laos_ at the appointed hour.
A little fleet of barges loaded with coal, surrounded us; their close
neighbourhood made us look like chimney-sweeps. When we mounted the
_Laos_ we were as black as negroes.
March 2nd.—The gradual lowering of the temperature is very sensible.
Since yesterday the punkahs in the salon had ceased to work and the light
dresses and straw hats on board have been replaced by warm coats and
woollens of all kinds. The wind is getting fresher and the sea begins to
ripple. It is the “mistral” coming on; we are rolling terribly on the
Mediterranean. It is not at all jolly, especially with the perspective of
quarantine at Marseilles.
During the stay of the _Laos_ at Bombay many new passengers boarded the
ship, amongst them a rich Indian nabob with a face like a wicked monkey,
who is going to London to be presented to the Queen. He is dressed in
European garb, which doesn’t suit him at all and makes him look more like
an ape than a human being. But the Hindoo was thoroughly unconscious of
his own deficiencies. He sat next to Mr. Shaniavski at dinner and found
fault with all the passengers during the repast; especially with those
belonging to the yellow race, and said that the Chinese and the Japs
were all monkey-faced creatures. And he himself—whom does he look like, I
should like to know?
March 5th.—Thank God we are close to Marseilles. At seven o’clock in the
morning the washing of the deck was already over and the boat had put on
her best toilet. At ten the French coasts were in sight. Shall we be able
to come into the harbour or shall we be confined to quarantine? That is
the question which preoccupies us all.
Hurrah! the sanitary state of our boat is declared satisfactory and we
are permitted to land.
We decided to rest one day at Marseilles at the Hôtel de Noailles. I
could think of nothing else but bed and the bliss of laying my ailing
body down to rest between clean sheets that smelt of lavender.
March 7th.—We are on our way to Paris. I am so happy to see the miles
added to miles, and the distance separating me from darling St.
Petersburg decreasing visibly. The whole country is covered with a deep
mantle of snow. I wanted snow so badly in the tropics, and must be
satisfied now!