Frank Bassett and Fred Bronson mounted on donkeys, and attended by the drivers of the little beasts.
Doctor Bronson similarly mounted and escorted.
A servant from the hotel superintending the transportation of the baggage of the trio on the backs of a couple of Arab porters.
A miscellaneous array of beggars, peddlers, and their kindred, shouting for backsheesh.
There were at least twenty individuals in the party, not counting the donkeys; but a good many of the beggars dropped off after a few dozen yards. Their places were taken by others, so that there was no material loss of numbers on arrival at the landing, where the baggage was placed in a boat, after a gift of a couple of francs to a customs official, to save it from inspection. From the shore to the boat was a short journey, and any possible monotony was prevented by the boatmen. They had made a bargain to carry our three friends on board the steamer for five francs; about half-way they stopped rowing and demanded ten francs, which were refused.
Then the fellows turned, and threatened to row to the shore again, but the Doctor prevented this performance by proposing to hand them over to the police. They did not proceed until he rose to his feet and shouted for the police-boat, and then they concluded it was best to do as they had agreed. The boatmen of Alexandria are worse than those of any other port of the Mediterranean, and it is a disgrace to the Egyptian Government that they are allowed to continue their practices.
VIEW OF ALEXANDRIA FROM THE SEA.