XX.] 
THE SUEZ CANAL. 
441 
to the place where they were imbedded in the sandy layers 
and silicified. In their exterior all these petrifactions resemble 
each other, and by the microscopical examination which has 
hitherto been made naturalists have only succeeded in dis¬ 
tinguishing two species belonging to the family Nicolia, and a 
palm, a pine, and a leguminous plant, all now extinct. It is 
possible that among the abundant materials I brought home 
with me some other types may be discovered by polishing 
and microscopical examination. Such at least was my 
expectation in bringing home this large quantity of stones, 
the transport of which to the Vega was attended with a 
heavy expenditure. 
From Cairo we returned, on the 2nd February, to Suez, and 
the following day the Vega weighed anchor to steam through the 
Suez Canal into the Mediterranean. This gigantic work, created 
by the genius and perseverance of Lessees, which is unsur¬ 
passed by the many marvels of construction in the land of the 
Pharaohs, has not a very striking appearance, for the famous 
canal runs, like a small river with low banks, through the mono¬ 
tonously yellow plain of the desert. There are no sluices. No 
bold rock-blastings stand as monuments of difficulties overcome. 
But proud must every child of our century be when he gazes on 
this proof that private enterprise can in our day accomplish 
what world-empires in former times were unable to carry into 
execution. We touched at Port Said for a few hours on the 
5th February, after which we continued our voyage to Naples, 
the first European port we were to visit. 
At Aden and in Egypt I had received several letters and 
telegrams informing me that great preparations were being 
made at Naples for our reception, and that repeated inquiries 
had been addressed to the Swedish consul-general regarding 
the day of our arrival, questions which naturally it was not so 
easy to answer, as our vessel, with its weak steam-power, was 
very dependent on wind and weather. It was hoped that the 
