“English man, he bery goot man (striking an attitude); he say ‘Come on and box.’
“English man—he bery goot man.
“English man—he bery goot man.
“Melikan man—he bery goot man.
“Melikan man—he bery goot man.
“’talian man—he bery bat man.”
Ending with a very uncomplimentary allusion to our Irish fellow-subjects.
What is wanted to make Port Saïd really prosperous is a railway from the interior to bring the produce from the cotton and wheat fields, and then the steamers which bring the coals could at once load up for home, saving the necessity of going empty to Alexandria for their homeward freights. Last year 540,000 tons of coal were sold at Port Saïd, and all the ships which brought it had to go away empty. But so long as the Canal Company are entitled to all the Customs dues at Port Saïd, it is not to be expected that the Egyptian Government will favour the construction of such a line.
Some of our fellow-passengers were members of the Blue Ribbon Army, and although they were by no means obtrusive in supporting their views, being contented for the most part with wearing the “bit of blue”—others resented this reasonable liberty, styling it an impertinence, and formed themselves into an opposition Order, which they called the Red Ribbon Army, and they busied themselves in enlisting recruits. It was noticeable that, with the exception of an old roué or two, only young men with small heads and long legs, who, if they ever indulged in reading, confined their choice to books translated or adapted from the French, composed the rank and file, the officers being older men, who were not often seen out of the gambling or smoke-room. One of these latter was called the “Spider,” because from an early hour in the morning he sat in the smoke-room waiting to “play” with any who might choose to try conclusions with him.
The Patron and President of the Society was a noble lord, and certainly a better choice could not have been made. Amongst the rules of the Society were these:—