him up like one of those Sepoys
he would not feel easy. They have some fine horses and carriages here."

The vehicles had to stop presently when they met a caravan of camels,
which had long since ceased to be a novelty to the tourists. They were
driven, the officer said, by the real Bedouins of the desert, and by men
of all shades of color, from jet-black to pale copper hue. The donkeys
were not a strange sight; but when a couple of ostriches passed along
the street, the visitors were all eyes. They were seven feet high; and
they could capture a fly, if they would take such small game, off the
ceiling of a room eight feet high. They were tame, and like the monkeys,
gazelles, parrots, and other birds on the verandas, were kept as pets.

There were pretty little gardens along the roads; for the volcanic soil,
when dug up and fertilized, makes productive land. There were plenty of
rocks; but wherever there was a cleft or a seam, there was a growth of
something green. Thirty or forty miles back in the country, there are
green valleys and rippling streams. Abundant crops are raised within ten
miles of the town, and the garrison and the people of the town are
plentifully supplied with fruit and vegetables.

The officers showed the party through the fortifications, some of which
strongly reminded them of Gibraltar. Our friends were greatly pleased
with Aden, and especially with the attentions of the officers, who are
to some extent shut out from social relations. The commander added the
Parsee merchants and Mr. Gaskill to the number of invited guests, and
entered warmly into the spirit of the affair. Mr. Sage had replenished
his stores from the market, and he was in good condition to meet the
requirements of the occasion.

After a lunch at the Hotel de l'Europe, Captain Ringgold left the
company to return on board of the ship, where the war material had
already been sent. The tourists found the town very like an English
city, and after Egypt and the isthmus they enjoyed the contrast. The
first cutter was waiting for him, and he went to the pier.

More than once during the forenoon he had obtained a view of the white
steamer anchored in the roads, and he had inquired in regard to her, but
had been able to obtain no very definite information concerning her. She
was a steam-yacht of about the size of the Guardian-Mother, as nearly
as he could judge, painted white, and she looked like a very beautiful
vessel.

Captain Ringg