' A JOURNEY IN THE EAST: 3L 



soon paid us a return visit at Kasr-el-Nusha, and afterwards 

 accompanied us to the railway station. 



As the train moved slowly off we took a last regretful look 

 at the noble city of the Caliphs, the stern cliffs of the 

 Mokattam mountains, the towering citadel, and the mysterious 

 Pyramids, for we were now about to make a pilgrimage to 

 new scenes and other lands. 



Next day we reached the Bitter Lakes, which have a 

 certain undeniably picturesque charm, and the contrast be- 

 tween their dark brown waters and the dazzling white of the 

 desert cannot fail to arrest the attention of the traveller. 



While passing along the short stretch of canal between the 

 Bitter and the Timsah Lakes, we noticed a jackal hunting 

 for shell-fish by the bank, and fired some ineffectual shots at 

 him, and while on the deep blue waters of the latter lake we 

 enjoyed the splendid effects of an African sunset. 



The houses of Ismailia now appeared on the sandy shores to 

 the north, and our steamer was soon lying at the quay of the 

 great French station of the Suez Canal. There M. de Lesseps, 

 the famous originator and constructor of this gigantic work 

 which connects two seas, was awaiting us with his son and 

 several officials of the French company. I was delighted to 

 make the acquaintance of this indomitable and still vigorous 

 old man. We drove to his country house, which was charm- 

 ingly situated in a little garden, and were received by his 

 beautiful daughter-in-law, who is by birth a Cairene Greek of 

 the wealthy Sinadino family; her brother, an agreeable young 

 man, and an English lady were also present. We dined soon 

 after our arrival, and afterwards spent a pleasant social 

 evening. 



Next morning we all left the house at a very early hour, 

 and accompanied by M. de Lesseps went to the station and 

 proceeded to Maksamah, a short distance along the Cairo line. 

 There we stopped and had a good deal of difficulty in getting 



Y 



