in long blue
garments, sitting before their doors at work, or nursing children.
These women were employed in basket-making and in picking corn. I
did not notice any men; they were probably employed in the fields.

I now rode forward across the sandy plain on which the whole of
Alexandria is built, and suddenly, without having passed through any
street, found myself in the great square.

I can scarcely describe the astonishment I felt at the scene before
me. Every where I saw large beautiful houses, with lofty gates,
regular windows, and balconies, like European dwellings; equipages,
as graceful and beautiful as any that can be found in the great
cities of Europe, rolled to and fro amid a busy crowd of men of
various nations. Franks, in the costume of their country, were
distinguished among the turbans and fez-caps of the Orientals; and
tall women, in their blue gowns, wandered amidst the half-naked
forms of the Arabs and Bedouins. Here a negro was running with
argile behind his master, who trotted along on his noble horse;
there Frankish or Egyptian ladies were to be seen mounted on asses.
Coming from the dreary monotony of the quarantine-house, this sight
made a peculiar impression upon me.

Scarcely had I arrived at the hotel before I hastened to the
Austrian consulate, where Herr von L., the government councillor,
received me very kindly. I begged this gentleman to let me know
what would be the first opportunity for me to continue my journey to
Cairo; I did not wish to take passage on board an English steamboat,
as the charge on this vessel for the short distance of about 400 sea
miles is five pounds. The councillor was polite enough to procure
me a berth on board an Arabian barque, which was to start from Atfe
the same evening.

I also learnt at the consulate, that Herr Sattler, the painter, had
arrived by the packet-boat a few days previously, and was now at the
old quarantine-house. I rode out in company with a gentleman to
visit him, and was glad to find him looking very well. He was just
returning from his journey to Palestine.

I found the arrangements in the old quarantine-building rather more
comfortable than those in the new; the establishment is moreover
nearer the town, so that it is easier to obtain the necessaries of
life. On my return, my companion was so kind as to conduct me
through the greater portion of the Turkish town, which appeared to
be better built and more neatly kept than any