‘4 JOURNEY IN THE EAST, 325 
Port Said is quite a European town, and the magnificent 
harbour, with the buildings belonging to the Canal, the docks, 
building-yards, workshops, and especially the Hast Indiamen 
and other ships gave the whole scene a thoroughly Western 
look, 
In the evening we gave a dinner on board the ‘ Miramar,’ 
to which we invited Abd-el-Kader Pasha and the French 
gentlemen ; and when it got dark our countrymen who 
resided here got up a charming illumination of the harbour 
and a procession of boats, while brilliantly-lighted crafts 
carrying bands of musicians flitted round our vessel, and 
splendid fireworks were let off on shore. 
The time for our departure soon came. Our guests left 
the ‘ Miramar,’ and with them Abd-el-Kader Pasha, whom we 
had all learnt to value and esteem, for he had been both a 
faithful travelling companion and a true friend. 
Never can we forget the glorious days which we spent in 
Africa ; and as the vessel moved slowly on we bore away 
with us glorious memories of the Dark Continent, of glowing 
Egypt, and of the burial-places of an ancient civilization 
which passed away thousands of years ago. 
The morning of the 28th of March found us on the open 
sea. ‘No land in sight yet?” was the question so often 
asked, as we longingly waited for the outlines of Asia to rise 
above the waves. At last there appeared in the forenoon the 
blue misty heights of the mountains of Judaa, and we soon 
afterwards saw the yellow shore and the hill on which rises 
the terraced fortress-like town of Jafta. 
At first the country looks barren and desolate, a land of 
yellow dunes and grey mountains unpleasing to the eye; but 
when the vessel nears this town of a hoary historic past, one 
sees the splendid garland of wood-like gardens by which it is 
encircled. 
As Jaffa has no harbour for large vessels, we had to anchor 
