IV 



SUEZ 



SOMETIME during the night we must have 

 started, but so gently had we slid along at 

 fractional speed that until I raised my head and 

 looked out I had not realized the fact. I saw a high 

 sand bank. This glided monotonously by until I 

 grew tired of looking at it; and got up. 



After breakfast, however, I found that the sand 

 bank had various attractions all of its own. Three 

 camels laden with stone and in convoy of white-clad 

 figures shuffled down the slope at a picturesque 

 angle. Two cowled women in black, veiled to the 

 eyes in gauze heavily sewn with sequins, barefooted, 

 with massive silver anklets, watched us pass. 

 Hindoo workmen in turban and loin cloth furnished 

 a picturesque note, but did not seem to be injuring 

 themselves by overexertion. Naked small boys 

 raced us for a short distance. The banks glided by 

 very slowly and very evenly, the wash sucked after 

 us like water in a slough after a duck boat, and the 

 sky above the yellow sand looked extremely blue. 



25 



