Chapter 6

THE DESERT.

Equipage for crossing the Desert--Donkey-chairs--Sense of calmness and tranquillity on entering the Desert--Nothing dismal in its aspect--The Travellers' Bungalow--Inconvenient construction of these buildings--Kafila of the Governor of Jiddah and his Lady--Their Equipage--Bedouins--Impositions practised on Travellers--Desert Travelling not disagreeable--Report of the sailing of the Steamer--Frequency of false reports--Ease with which an infant of the party bore the journey--A wheeled carriage crossing the Desert--Parties of Passengers from Suez encountered--One of Mr. Hill's tilted Caravans--Difficulty of procuring water at the Travellers' Bungalow--A night in the Desert--Magnificent sunrise--First sight of the Red Sea and the Town of Suez--Miserable appearance of the latter--Engagement of a Passage to Bombay

* * * * *