HEAT IN THE RED SEA. 9" 



the vacant space beyond, and in another instant would 

 have found her gi-ave in the deep sea, had not her 

 companion been at hand to snatch her fi'om her 

 apparent doom, not, however, witliout some danger tO' 

 himself. The reader may be sui-e that this spot, at all 

 times unsafe, was eschewed ever after ; and we could 

 notice an additional amount of tenderness between 

 the two, in fact so important an adventure furnished 

 us with a theme of conversation for some time to 

 come. 



The heat now kept increasing, thermometer 85° in the 

 shade, the punkahs going all day, at first with languor,, 

 until strong reprimands, if not occasional kicks, made 

 the poor boys, dressed in a white habit and party- 

 coloured turban, pull them more vigorously. Lemonade 

 and soda water were in constant request, whilst 

 smoking was seldom agreeable until the cool of the 

 evening, after the sun had set, with its magnificent 

 display of golden and crimson reflections. The nimble- 

 footed lascars seemed at this period of our voyage the 

 only active beings on board, all others crawled along, 

 taking care to keep under the double awning ; the 

 former are excellent fair-weathei' sailors, but I have 

 frequently been told that they are great cowards in a 

 gale of wind. Woe to the poor passengers if the ship 

 meet with a storm in tlie Red Sea ; all ports are at 



