352 Wreck of the "Chibine" [1900 



steamer for Tor, and getting passports for Suliman and Hassan at 

 the Moudirieh. The people there very friendly, as the Governor was 

 formerly an Arabist and the Katib had been secretary to Mahmoud 

 Fehmy. The place was being besieged by pilgrims come for their 

 passports, which cost them 150 piastres, to the Hedjaz. In the after- 

 noon went on board the Chibine with the agent Beyts, whom I re- 

 member twenty years ago at Jeddah, where he had a house of business 

 with one Wild. He did what he could to make us comfortable, but 

 the Chibine is crowded with pilgrims, 350 of them, they say. 



" gth March. — I went to my berth early and woke about half-past 

 one, and opened the cabin window as it was very hot below, and 

 so was lying awake thinking over the lapse of years since I was 

 last at Mount Sinai and the poor issue of our short lives, when I felt 

 as it were a blow received by the vessel, and immediately after a 

 second blow. At the first moment I thought it was an earthquake 

 shock — we had had one last Tuesday at Sheykh Obeyd — and called 

 out to Cockerel, who shared my cabin., to that effect ; but looking out of 

 the window I saw a line of breakers close before us on the port side, 

 and the ship began to be knocked about by the waves. It was very 

 dark, but the breakers were plain enough, and I said to Cockerel, ' No. 

 We are on a Coral Reef.' I had not undressed and had nothing but 

 my shoes to put on to be ready for all events. And I went to Miss 

 Lawrence's cabin and told her to get up and dress as we were aground. 

 Then on Cockerel's confirming what had happened I went on the 

 upper deck where Suliman and Hassan were, and got the life-belt 

 I always carry out of the bullock trunk in which it was and put it 

 on Miss Lawrence. She was not at all frightened, nor indeed was 

 anybody else as far as I know — though the Pilgrims began reciting 

 their prayers aloud. The wind was blowing pretty strong, and I could 

 make out the line of the shore not far off and the breakers, though 

 the night was dark. There did not seem to be any immediate danger, 

 but we prepared ourselves for whatever might happen, and in the 

 darkness, of course, there was room to imagine the worst. I did not 

 stay long, however, on deck, but after some talk with Suliman went 

 below and lay down again, for it was clear there was nothing to be 

 done till daylight. I had looked at my watch as soon as the vessel 

 struck, and found it was seven minutes past three. Cockerell and Miss 

 Lawrence stayed on deck, I believe, till morning. After a bit I got to 

 sleep again, for the ship was steady enough, and there was nothing 

 very tragic in the appearance of things. 



" By daylight we were able to make out where we were. Suliman 

 thought at first the hills in front of us were the Hamam Faraoun. But 

 later we made out Serbal and the mouth of Wady Feiran, so it is 

 now agreed that we are ashore north of Ras Jehan. The Captain, Ross, 



