'A 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 East 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 Judaea, and we soon 

 afterwards saw the yellow shore and the hill on which rises 

 the terraced fortress-like town of Jaffa. 



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 



