city of the Turks I
had yet seen. The bazaar is not handsome; it consists of wooden
booths, displaying only the most ordinary articles of merchandise.

On the same day that I quitted the quarantine-house, I rode in the
evening to the Nile Canal, which is twenty-four feet broad and about
twenty-six miles long. A number of vessels lay there, on one of
which a place had been taken for me (the smaller division of the
cabin) as far as Atfe, for the sum of fifteen piastres. I at once
took possession of my berth, made my arrangements for the night and
for the following day, and waited hour after hour till we should
depart. Late in the night I was at length told that we could not
set out to-night at all. To pack up my things again, and to set off
to walk to the inn, a distance of two miles, and to return next
morning, would have been a rather laborious proceeding; I therefore
resolved to remain on board, and sat down among the Arabs and
Bedouins to eat my frugal supper, which consisted of cold
provisions.

Next day I was told every half-hour that we should depart
immediately, and each time I was again disappointed.

Herr von L. had wished to supply me with wine and provisions for the
passage; but as I had calculated upon being in Atfe to-day at noon,
I had declined his offer with many thanks. But now I had no
provisions; I could not venture into the town on account of the
distance, and found it quite impossible to make the sailors
understand that they were to bring me some bread and baked fish from
the neighbouring bazaar. At length hunger compelled me to venture
out alone: I pushed through the crowd, who looked at me curiously,
but suffered me to pass unmolested, and bought some provisions.

In Alexandria I procured beef and beef-soup, for the first time
since my departure from Smyrna. In Alexandria and throughout the
whole of Egypt the white bread is very delicious.

At four in the afternoon we at length set sail. The time had passed
rapidly enough with me, for there was a great deal of bustle around
this canal. Barques came and departed, took in or discharged cargo;
long processions of camels moved to and fro with their drivers to
fetch and carry goods; the soldiers passed by, to the sound of
military music, to exercise in the neighbouring square; there was
continually something new to see, so that when four o'clock arrived,
I could not imagine what had become of the time.

With the exception of the crew,