ON BOARD "THE KHEDIVE."
STEAMER "KHEDIVE," RED SEA, NEAR SUEZ,
February 10, 1890.
The morning of the 31st of January was very hot at Bombay, as usual, and
I only went out to make a few calls, and some purchases, and at 3 P.M.
we went on a tender to this steamer, passing two large English troop
ships just arrived, and several ironclad men-of-war, and looked at the
great forts on the land where we had before seen two 120-ton Armstrong
guns with piles of conical balls, each ball weighing half a ton.
The harbor is large and fine, and there were at anchor many large
steamers and sailing craft, but I did not see anywhere the flag of our
country.
On Sunday there was the usual parade of officers, sailors, and servants,
149 in all, most of the sailors being Lascars, dressed in white gowns,
red turbans, and sashes, presenting a clean and picturesque appearance.
The vessel is a fine one, wonderfully clean, and with all modern
improvements, including electric lights.
The doctor is a young and handsome man, and spends most of his time with
the young lady passengers, who seem to require much medical advice. I
notice that on most of the ships where I have been the doctors are very
attentive to the ladies.
One night I slept very soundly in the upper berth, but in the morning
found my room flooded from the open port-holes, sofa, floor, and baggage
wet, but no great harm done, my clothing being hung up. In the morning I
knew the sailors were washing the deck, for the water leaked through and
struck my face, but one learns not to mind such little matters when
travelling, and I turned over for another sleep.
It is rather hot on the steamer, thermometer eighty degrees, but the
punkas are going in the cabin, and we are all quite comfortable.
We came from Bombay on the steamer _Assam_, arrived at Aden on the 6th,
and were transferred to this ship, and unfortunately there was not time
for us to go ashore, but I think we lost nothing, as it was a
poor-looking place, nothing but rocks and fortifications.
We now see for the first time the coast of Arabia, big hills evidently
of volcanic formation, and long reaches of white sand. The native boats
crowded around the ship, offering ostrich feathers and various things
for sale; boys were diving for silver pieces thrown into the water, and
generally succeeded in getting them.
The run of four days up the historic Red Sea has been full of interest.
One day the air was full of locusts flying over from Arabia to Africa,
many of them falling on the deck. They looked like small birds when
flying, but were not larger than katydids, and brown in color.
On Sunday the service was read by a clergyman who preached an excellent
sermon. He read from the Bible the account of the passage of the Red Sea
at a place not far from where we were, and the sermon was about it and
Egypt.
The seats at the long tables in the dining-room were filled, nearly all
the passengers being in attendance. The weather continues perfect, the
water smooth and looking very blue. Captain Loggin, of this ship, says
that on his last trip he had a lady passenger who was ninety-one years
of age, and on a former trip another who was ninety-two, both of them
very jolly and comfortable, and going from England to visit their
relatives in India.
The captain said that on another of his trips, two ladies, strangers to
each other, were put in one state-room in which were two wash-basins.
One basin being a little larger than the other, each lady wanted the
larger one, and appealed to him. He gave the matter due consideration,
and finally informed them that the elder should have it. As we approach
the upper end of the sea it narrows to about three miles, and we have
good views of both the Arabian and the African coasts, long stretches of
sand on both shores, and then mountains of volcanic origin, but not a
sign of a town or of any inhabitants. Early one morning the captain gave
notice that we were nearing the Sinai range of mountains, and he showed
on his chart all the points of interest, and directly pointed out the
historic mountain itself, situated beyond a range which was near the
sea, and looming up so that we could see it with the naked eye, and very
clearly with the glass. The mountain appeared to be about forty miles
off.