Travels in the Far East

ew of the massive fortifications afforded much interest to those who had not made a previous visit. But the picturesqueness of former visits--the motley crowd of Moors, Arabs, Spaniards, and Turks at the wharf--was lacking; while the venders of fruit, flowers, and laces were far less numerous, but quite as persistent, as of old.

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November 12th: The steamer Magnolia, of the P. & O. line, became our home to Port Saïd, named for the Viceroy of Egypt, who granted the concession for the building of the Suez Canal. We were at once charmed with the general arrangement of the vessel, the salons for ordinary use being large and airy; the staterooms were smaller than those of the Atlantic service, but were finely ventilated.

The passage to Marseilles, France, consumed about thirty-six hours, and the time was spent partly in planning a sight-seeing expedition to take place immediately after our arrival. The Gulf of Lyons, however, gave us a stormy reception; and,