CHAPTER I. 



PEEPARATORY DETAILS, AND SPORT IN THE DELTA. 



February Mh. — It was a bright and cloudless morning 

 on which we entered the harbour of Alexandria ; and as the 

 large vessel was brought up to her moorings, numberless 

 small boats flocked around, like sea-gulls to some dead 

 monster of the deep, all anxious to carry away something 

 for themselves. These boats form a curious sight, manned 

 as they are by seamen in the dress of diverse races ; for here, 

 at Alexandria, the human tides from east and west meet, and 

 the amalgamation of costume gives a strange appearance to 

 the scene. 



The first boat that approaches has a crew of native ma- 

 rines in fez caps and tunics of white sail-cloth, which contrast 

 strongly with the deeply bronzed, weather-beaten faces of the 

 wearers. In the stern sit two dignitaries in yellow and red 

 turbans and flowing garments, the chief of the party being 

 clad in a shabby greenish-black frock-coat and trousers, with 

 a loose fez on his head ; they have the sullen, cunning ex- 

 pression of countenance which distinguishes the Turk from the 

 Egyptian. These are the government authorities, who have 

 come to see that there is no contagion on board the vessel. 

 As soon as they have expressed themselves satisfied on this 

 point, all the other boats' crews begin struggling and 

 fighting among themselves, occasionally with blows, but 



B 2 



