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.
[CHAPTER XXVI.]
THROUGH THE SUEZ CANAL.
Cairo, February 12, 1890.
AT 9 P.M., on the 10th instant, the big steamer Khedive anchored at Suez, the Red Sea entrance to the canal; and I was much interested in watching the engineers making steam connections to a large dynamo on deck. The connections were made by copper pipes and flange joints. In half an hour they were ready. Captain Loggin gave the signal, and the stately vessel moved on at the rate of six miles an hour towards Port Said on the Mediterranean. The canal is 87 miles long, and when completed was 72 feet wide and 26 feet deep, but two years ago it was decided to enlarge it to 120 feet wide, 27 feet 8 inches deep. They are now at work on the enlargement, as I saw four immense dredgers lying in the canal near Suez, and was informed that thousands of men could be seen during the day at work all along the route.
I stationed myself on the upper deck at 9.30 P.M., and remained there all night with the kind and pleasant captain for my only companion, only leaving when we were nearing Ismaïlia at six in the morning; and I was amply rewarded by sights such as I never expect to see again.