^yc'^^^-i-ir? r THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES ROUND THE WORLD IN SILENCE BY ANNABELLE KENT GRKAVES PUBLISHING COMPANY iNEW YORK CI lY M C M X I Copyright 1911 By ANNABELLE KENT YORK PHINTING COMPANY YORK, PA. Preface BOOKS of tra\el are Ici^'ion now-a-days. and one has l)ut to turn to the sheh'es of lil)rary or l)ook- store to obtain information on every hind and sea under the sun. Mv excuse for adchng' to this col- lection is that 1 hope to offer somethint;' that will in- terest the sta\'-at-honies, revive pleasant memories in the s^iol)e-trotter, and t^ive to both the noxelty of bein<4" taken around a soundless world. A deaf young' lady made the remark to me once that it was a waste of time and money for a deaf person to i4"o to Europe, as she could g'et so little benefit from the tri]). ] told her that as loni;' as one could see there was a <4'reat deal one could absorb and enjoy. Then, when the time and ()i)])ortunity came for me to take a tour around the world, there ha])pened to be a }-ouni;' man in the ])art\' who was totallv blind. 1 was full of s}-m])ath_\' for him. but he, instead of feelint^" ret^'ret, thon.ght the sym])athy should be bestowed on me, since I was deaf instead of blind. Cheerfulness is a Hue trait, but I could not bear to think of .q'oing" to India and then not beiniL^' able to see the i^lories of the Taj or the ])athetic beauty of the Residencw — i.uck- now's memento of the .Mutiuw h'eeling- that 1 was full\- re])aid lor the months ol strenuous life. I ha\e been mo\ed to rewrite and jjublish the letters I sent home telling' of my ex])eriences on the tour as I would like to slmw others, as well as m \- deaf bretlircu and sisters. (3) 4 I'REFACF. Iiow much pleasure and profit one can s^et through tra\el not only in Euro])e but tlic Orient. I am not merely hard of hearint;", but entirely deaf. Part of the time I was with friends of long standing. ])art of the time with almost entire strangers; and even amid the stress of travel the\- were always kind and ])atient with me. If they should chance to read these ])ages, J would like them to know how much I thank them all. Round the World in Silence ( )n Hoard llic I'riiicess Irene. inisDand is sucn a nne leiiow. and i)iuuiie is me sweet- est, most enL;'a,L;in!4- tliree-}ear-ol(l that I e\er saw. Did \()ti e\er know I wanted to j^o round the worhl? J (ht. I wa- in Troy. \i- make arrangements to <^t). I I urr\- I I am on Ixnird the I'rincess Irene, myself, but how man\- thin^^s necessary to mv existence sta\ed at home. I ha\e yet to learn. I'M]- com tort there is nothinii' like the C.erman steam- ers. I'Xerytliinc^- is kv]){ >])otlessly clean. The serxdce is laultless. and the dinner> are works of art. Tluw learned at once that 1 cannot hear, and so. e\ er\- time the meals are ready, the stewardess or steward comes t'> my stateroom to call mc-. And m\ stateroom is mo-^i Cduxeniently arranged. I ha\e two lariat- ward- ri ibr,^ and ])lenty ni draw rr--. ROl'XD THF. WORLD IX STLHXCK 7 On Saturday niornint^', we came in sight of the largest of tlie Azore Ishmds and passed ((uite close to Ponta Delgada. the Cai)it()l. It was raining when I came on deck, and the huge brown rocks and soft green slopes ^\■ere \eiled h}- a mist of rain. lUit as the Irene drew near the citw the sun shone out gioriouslw •I'll I'. KOCK Ol" CI URAI.TAR All the buildings on the island, e\en the fences, were a brilliant white. The city itselt was crowned l)v a bright rose-i)ink clock tower. All the mummies in the deck chairs sudclenl}- came to life, and there was high excitement on board during the two hours while we were ])assing the island. Mead winds ha\e fought us all the wa\-. and it has been \ er\- wet. .M \- room- 8 ROUND THE WORLD IX SILKXCK mate says it is roui^h. but this is licr first \-()yai^"e. When 1 remember our crossings of the Xorth Atlantic, it seems to me that there is just enouj^h motion to o-jve zest. For me it has been drifting;' from one o|)al (lay to another. What a wonderful day this has been I We were called before daxlii^iit. — and there we were at (jib- raltar. As I dressed, the li.^ht became strdu^er and 1 could see the hut^e, gloomy rock, it's top hidden in clouds. Daylight came \ery ([uickly and showed us a glorious ])anorama of mountain and sea: a white glim- mer of a distant African city at the foot of grey hills; a glittering bay. crowded with warships, ocean steam- ers, steam launches, and rowboats. 'J'he tender started for the shore at ten o'clock, and we were all on board ; dear little iUiddie as excited as any of us. On the dock all of us five women and ]>uddie scjueezed into one of the odd little carriages in waiting, while Air. llrown \vent off on foot to find the cable office. A\ hat a ride we had through the ([uaint narrow streets, crowded Avith a motlev throng of Arabs, in fiowing white robes: English soldiers: ])ed- dlers. with baskets of fruit and flowers: and ])atient little donkeys, loaded down with huge panniers of vegetables, fruit and charcoal. The tall houses were painted bright ])urple or \ellow. Dark-eved beauties laughed down at us from flower-decked l)a]conies. They looked ]n"ett\' at a distance: but a closer ac- (puiintance showed them to be so ])owdere(l as to be almost ghastly. \i\cu the little girls looked as if ihey had been white-washed. The streets were almost as slee]) as the side of a house. MolK' and 1 iumi)ed out oi the carriage an went out, and little red and white lights liaslu'd u]) on iIk- miniatui'e lighthouses whiidi ser\ed as ceiUei^piece--. Then, in the >emi-dark-ness. entered a bi-illiant i)rocc--,i( m. All the waiti'r^ and stewards 12 ROUXD THE WORLD IX SILFA'CK filed in. waiters and stewards alternately. Each waiter carried a tray, bearing- a \i\r<^Q hollow block of ice with a lit^iit inside; around this was the ice cream, molded into little seated fii^'ures holding;- tiny ja])anese para- sols. Each steward carried a lari^e ja])anese lantern. The i;a\- ])rocession circled all the tables and then ])asse(l out. .\tter that we had our ice cream, and each lady was L;iven a ])arasol and a flat;'. Sunday: — ilere we are in the liay of Xa])les. Yes- terday the\' woke me before daylit^ht to look out at \'esu\ius. The sihery i^rey-blue water was banked l)y dark blue mountains, and behind the mountains the sky glowed red. Did you know they ha\e strikes in Italy? They do. As we were about to go ashore this morning'. \ve heard that it was uncertain when the Irene would ])roceed to (icnoa, because there was a strike amoni^' the deck hands, and the cari^o could not be unloaded. After waiting,' around for an hour we decided to land, for a while at least. There ^vas a large ])art}' of us. and we engaged a guicle. — one who \vas ^•erv ])roud of his I{ngiish. After we had looked into the A(|uarium and a few sho])s. we turned toward l'om])eii to s])en(l the rest of the (lav there. We \\ere all crowded into oue wagon- ette, and the sun was hot. so we were glad enough to sto]) tor luncheon at an out-of-door restaurant. The little building was roofed with \ines, and. in the gar- den, real oranges and lemons hung from the trees. Ilere we had our first meal in tlie land (il macaroni and garlic; but we left out tlie garlic. Then on we went again, jolting o\er unexen ])a\'e- ments walled in on either side by bright ])ainted ROL'Xl) THE WORLD IX SILl-A'Cl*. 13 houses. All arcnind us. (M1 the street, cookinn'. wash- ing', sewing, ciuarrelling and ]()\e-inaking were going on. One glance at tlie dirt would have turned Mari- etta's hair white: and the odors were not of cologne I .\s we drove farther out. open archways framed fleet- ing glinij)ses of lo\-ely gardens. ( )ur guide told us that the li\ely street we were on had been buried nine feet deep in la\a at the time of tlie last erui^ticui. and for a week it had been so dark that one could hardly see one's hand before ones lace. 'Idiere was a good deal (^f la\a dust, and as we got outside of the cit}- it grew dee])er. and there were great heaps of it on either side of the road. It took about two hours to co\er the fourteen miles from Naples, and when we left otu- carriage at the hotel, outside the entrance to l*om])eii. there was no sign of anything like our ])reconcei\e(l notions of that citw A\'e were admitted to a lo\ely ])ark. — the more lo\e]\" in us because of our dust}' dri\e. The high banks on either side of the ]:)ath lead- ing to the ruined cit\' were dotted with beautiful flowers. The}- say a king of Xaples. digging to get water to the cit^' from a spring, was the first to dis- co\-er the place. l')\' good fortmie we had l'omi)eii almost to ourseKes. and we wandered for hours through the ruins. Think of it I ruins two thousand }'ears old. The narrow streets worn in dee]) ruts b}- the chariot wheels of long ago. with their huge step- ])ing stones at the crossings. s])oke elocpienth' of the tide of life that had once flowed through them. lv\- caw'iting is still going on. as the ancient cit\- has not }et been entirelv uncoxcred. I\eslorations ha\e been so carelull}- made that one can form an iwcellent idea ot what the cit\- wa>. Tliert' are bakeries with their 14 ROU X ] ) 'J' 1 1 E \\( )RL I) 1 X vS I L !•: X C I ', ovens and mills for j^rindini^' tlonr, wine shops with their em])!}- reser\-oirs. chemists" shops, with all their A'essels and instruments. In the houses the wall ])aint- ing"s are as ])rig-ht as it fresh from the brush. The homes of the wealthy had beautiful flower gardens in tlie inner court, and on pedestals in the gardens stand portrait busts of the long dead owners. We took some snap shots of each other in the h'orum and 'OM I'l-: ivoman Theatre, and had drinking water offered us from a well in the tem])le of Isis. The liaths must ha\-e been the lieight of luxur\ . with hot and cold baths. ])lunge baths, and Turkish baths, all ])ro\i(le(l for. In the Museum are shown, in glass cases, casts ot soiue of the \MCtims. made from the la\a-molds that formed about their bodies. The ROL'XD TllK WORLD 1\ SILKXCIC 15 podr creatures are (Unibled up or Ixinj;' on their faces evidentlv in tlie xain elTort to shield themselves troni the awful storm of la\a. It seems cruel that their death agonv should be ex])osed to curious s^azers. The slielves arcnmd them are filled with things they had used in lite. — household utensils, jewelry, i^lass- ware. bronze and co])per x'essels, swords. c(Mns. vases, in pathetic array. Three days later: — We have just left Xai)les. haxint;" had four davs there instead of one. d'he strike made it impossible to unload the Irene on time. .\a])les was swarmint;' with troo])s. and our \esscl. which lay at anchor in the l)ay about a mile from the landing- stage, was guarded b}- a number of Italian officers, swell-looking fellows, all red and silver braid, with feathers on their flapping bea\er hats. Jt has been interesting to watch the unloading, and the ])eo])lc who come out in rowboats at night to sing and dance for us. I wonder how they manage to dance in those row- boats without going cn-erboard. The}- hold up a big umbrella, inverted, to catch the change: and they al- ways catch it. too. We have gone back and forth from the city every- day either in the tender, that ])lies regularly, or in a rowboat. ^'esterda\■ we went to the Monastery ol San Martino, a ])ictures(pie landmark on the to]) n\ the hill behind the citw There is cpiite a fine musetuu up there: the carriage in which the ])resent king was taken to his christening is ke])t in the museum. lie- sides the museum there is a beautiful church on the hill. and. best of all. some glorious \ie\vs. We ha\-e also \isited tlu' Cathedral, and se\ cral of the four hmidred C'atlmlic churches in X'aples. and 16 ROUXD THE WORLD IX SILENCE taken a drive out to I'uteoli. where Paul landed on his \vav to Rome. There are still traces remainini^ of the ancient Roman wharf on which he landed. Part of the four days we have spent in shop])ino- for corals, g'uide-hooks and photo,g"ra])hs. and in watchin^^ the in- teresting" street-life of the city. Altogether, we have enjovcd ourselves in a leisurely way. Puddie has gone \\ith us e\"ery day. and has been as good and haj^py as a king, ha])pier. probably, and better too. judging from all accounts of kings. Jt has been huge fun to go about ^vith Mr. I.rown. Xo difficulties of language daunt him. I told him one day he could soon graduate in the sign language. Yesterday he bought himself an Italian-lMiglish Phrase Pook. The rest of us stood in a row along the side walk while he hunted for the ])hrasc he wanted, and tried it on one of the e\er-i)resent soldiers. Jt was amusing to watch them I 1 ha\e been out sho])])ing all by myself, and the onl\- trouble I had was with the beggars that followed me. \'()U know Xa])les swarms with them, 'i'hev dog e\ery ste]) we take. "We will take American money'", they say, — obliging creatures! An intelligent Italian told .Mr. Prown tliat tlic soldiers' i)a\- was onlv two cents a day. And only two cents a da\- was ])ai(l to the men unloading and coaling the Irene. We are due at Cenoa about the middle of the after- noon, to-morrow; our trunks ha\-e been left in storage at Xa])les, and we are to tra\el in light marching order. RO UXD THK WORLD 1 X SILEXCK 17 111 Rome. Ol'R ship sailed into the liarbor of (jenoa carly in the afternoon, in the midst of a storm. As we entered the liarbor. lij^htnini;- was flashing" from one grey hillside to another, hut by the time the Irene came u]) to the (|ua}- it was all over, save a light rain. An hour later we left the steamer, bag and bag- gage. Oh, such a pile of stuff as we se\en people had ! Three hand-bags, four suit cases, one telescope bag, one huge shawl-stra])])ed bundle, one carryall and lUuldie's folding go-cart, and his horse, — a dashing little beast who travels tucked under mv arm. And A grand ])rocession of stewards ])araded our effects across the (|uay, and we, with a last fond backward look at the dear Irene, followed after. In the custom house, steerage ])assengers, first-class passengers and second-class passengers, together with mountains of baggage, were craiumed ])ell-mell into one small room. It took a long while to get all our scattered baggage marked with the little labels, like ])ink ])ostage stamps, which showed that we had ])assed the Customs. \\ hen we were free to depart, Mr. ISrown. with the aid of a Cook's man as interpreter, engaged carriages, and we set out to see all we could of the cit}' in an hour. Cenoa was charming to me with its air of old- lashioned pomp, its streets of grand ])alaces, its tine shops, and its peace from beggars. I ])ut this city 18 ROL'XI) THK WORLD IX SIIJ-'ACI'. down on my list of air-casllcs for another \isit. After supper at a (jenoa restaurant, we took the ex])rcss for Milan. i>ut out in the open country our engine broke down, and there we staged for hours. \\ ith us. on the train, was an American who was returnint;' to his home in I'urma with his wife, two small children, and two lUu'mese maids, 'idle little ones went to slee]), and the rest of us set about ^ettini;" some ftm out of the situation. The train liad ^iven an aw ful jerk when the engine broke down, and Mr. Ilrown, who ha])i)ened to be standing up, was thrown against the side of the car, breaking both the bows of liis spectacles. Tie was dolefully mourning o\er them, when 1 asked him if he would be willing to tr\- mending them with court ])laster. "Oh }es, anything!" So the court plaster case was hunted u]), and heads beiU o\er the delicate bit of surgery. Wonder of wonders, it held! — resvdt, a ]:»erfect pair of blinders! Stich a sight he was! W'e laughed until we could laugh no more, then discoxered we were sleepy, and most overwhe!mingl\- slee]iy too. I dimly realized that a kind hand was tucking an oxer- coat around me, and after that I knew no more till \\ e reached Milan at half-past two in the morning. Tum- bling out on the platform, babies, baggage and all, we trotted slee])ily after the three ])orters loaded with our impedimenta. At the tall iron garden gate of a hotel across the wdx a concierge a])])eare(l. Xo. lluw had no rooms. Our ])rocession stumbled on to the next gate, that of the ilotel d'ltalia, where we were soon comfortably in bed. .Are vou sur])rised that we were late to coffee and rolls? It was raining in the morn- ing, and later on we gazed at the exterior of the cathedral whh lunbrellas tip])ed back and the water koixi) Till-: woKi.i) i.\ sii.i'.xci': v) drippini;' on our faces while we craned our necks to measure the catliedral's glorious hei<;ht. inside, its beauty was almost hidden by the darkness : but I had the memory of a perfect summer day there _\cars as^o. From the cathedral we went to the Santa Maria della Ciraccia to see Da \'inci"s T^ast v^ui)per. The master- piece is fast (lisa])pearin!4". I could see a i^reat chani;e in it since ni\- former \isit. A few hours there and then came the loni^' journe\' to \ euice. .Much of the countr\- we i)asse(l throus^ii has the beaut\- character- istic of Southern California. I 'art of the time the train ran between the shore ot Lake Como and the i;iorious .\1])S. There, too, we found some steamer friends in our com])artment. and the ti\e hoiu's slii)])e in the n-ar of < >\]y hold, to St. Mark's 20 ROUXD THE WORLD IX SILEXCE Sciuare. onh' a few minutes" walk, 'l^hc water was ris- ing" ra])i(lly, and workmen were putting up a temporary bridi^e to tlie door of the Cathedral. Inside, several inches of water covered the \-estil)ule floor. In the Cathedral itself there were several small lakes in the hollows of the stone floor, where the j2;round beneath had settled unevenly. Ihit who cares for wet feet in St. Mark's, the gorgeous, the incom])arable ? It was All vSaints" Day, and we were just in time to see the ])rocession of the Patriarch : the ])riests in robes of cloth of gold, pur])le or red, and the ])atriarch himself, in his white rol)es, seated on his throne of white satin, embroidered with gold. Afterwards we climbed the stairs, and spent a rapturous hour among the wonderful mosaics. The vScpiare bv this time was under two feet of Avater. The wind was blowing. Hats were sailing through the air. 15(>\s were s])lash- ing around, and everybody seemd to be ha\ing a great lark. l*eo])le were being carried or rowed across the Scpiare. There was one curious makeshift for a ferry. Two chairs, taken from one of the cafes, were ])laccd on a little platform which was drawn along on a child's cart. And on this comical and precarious structure perched a c()m])lacent couple, as dignified as though they had been in an orthodo.x carriage. The Doge's Palace was closed: so were all the stores; but the Royal Palace was o])en until one o'clock. This Palace was so ])lain that I was much (lisa])])ointed. The bedroom for their Italian Majesties was \er\- ])lain : their dressing-room adjoining has an ordinary- marble slab washstand, like that in mv room at the hotel, and the dressing table has onl\- a simi)]e white cotton co\er with cheap lace edging. Put the Palace ROUXD THK WORLD IN' SILKX'CK 21 is a huge place : it lias four hundred rooms and sixty- six courts. There is an audience room for each of the foreign countries. Attached to each is its own suite of dining, smoking, hilliard and bedrooms, but the audience rooms only are shown. In that for the I'nited States, the ceiling has medallion portraits of the Presidents. I thought (Greece had the ])rettiest room, with its dainty ])ale blue and gold furniture and hangings. Idie \veather was cold, raw and windy, and since everything was closed there was niching but the hotel for the rest of the day. It was a harsh contrast to ni}' hrst visit to X'enice. That left me an enchanted memory of glorious summer days, blue sk\' and blue waters. 1 feel sorry for the rest that they could not have seen \ enice in a more charming mood. The early morning light of h'riday saw us gathering u]) our belongings and hurrying to the station. ( )\er here, one has to be at the station an hour ahead of train time, for one can't e\en go into the \\ aiting-rc^om without a ticket, and the baggage must be lot)ke(l after ])ersonally. ( )n the train we beguiled the time by making tea. with one of us on watch in the corridor to give warning so that the guard might not catch us with a lighted s]jiril-lam]). Hut one can't drink tea all day. and we were glad enough when we reached IHor- ence at hall-])ast i\\i^' and clind)e(l out of our cramped (piarters. just as we dro\c u]) to the hotel door, it began to rain heaxily. but we had a cos\ home\ e\en- mg gatherecl around a grate hre in one of our three big ci »mtortable rooms. All the next morning we s])ent in the rfiizi (".allery. i'.uddie. riding ha])]>il\- in his little go-cart, was much interoted in the pictures. Mow ean I de'-cribe thi> ')1> ROL'XD THE WORLD IX SlLEXCE vast collection of treasures for you? The thought is overwhelming;' I ( )f the lonj^' i^alleries. hlled with ])ic- tures and statuary each one (leser\-ini;' si)ecial study. one room will ever stand clear in ni}' memory, — that small round a])artment called the 'I'ribuna. which holds some of the world's ])riceless treasiu'cs of paintiui^- and sculpture. Here are the \'enus di .Medici, the Wrest- lers and the Knife (irinder. Raphael's Madonna of the Gold-finch and Titian's X'enus of I'rbino. In the Sala di Lorenza Monaco, also, are collected some of the finest paintin,u,"s beloui^ini;" to the Gallery. As nearly all the largest and most noteworthy are of the Ma- donna, there is an amusing' incongruity in Botticelli's luxuriant " llirth of X'enus " which has been hunii" in this room. Most beautiful of all the ])aintins^'s here is Fra AuL^elico's .Madonna with the twehe angels. Ila\-ini4" been ])ainted for a tabernacle, it is in the form of a ])anel with a surrounding' arch. ( )n the panel are the \'irj.;in and Child against a back.^round of cloth of i^'old. and on the surrounding' arch are the familiar often-copied ani^els with trum])et. or<4'an, cxinbals and l)saltery. After luncheon we drox'e to the I'itti Gallery. I s])ent most of m_\' time here before l\ai)haers tender Madonna dello Sedia and the .Madonna del Granduca. In another room is Del Sarto's John the llaptist. The Koval a])artments at the I'itti I'alace are as ^or^eous and beautiful as a kin,L;''s ])alace should be. The walls of the (pieen's luxurious rooms arc hun^' with hea\-_\' cream white satin, embroidered entirelv I)\ hand, and the dressing' tables are co\ered with ex(|uisitc Swiss embroidery: it is a ^i^reat contrast to the jjalace at Venice. W c asked 'inij,- here in their beloxed Italy, and he far away in Westminster Abbev. 28 ROUXD THE WORLD IX STLEXCE W International Hotel. Urindisi. Italv. HOW s^ood the sunshine seemed, that first morn- ing- in Rome, after the continuous rain we ha\e had since we landed in Italy I 'J'hough we were only five minutes" walk from Trajan's Tomb, we hurried straii^ht to St. i'eter's. We rtished throu,gh the streets of Rome in a trolley car. Think of taking" a trollev in Rome, and to St. I'eter'sl l>ut at the time the incongruitx' of it did not occur to us. We thought only of the cathedral. Was it really the St. Peter's of our dreams? ( )n e\ery side stretches a wilderness of marble, marble ])illars. marl)le walls. and high abo\e one's head a mighty dome. Jt is won- derful, it is disa])pointing. if beautiful marble, scul])- tures. bronzes, gilding, height and breadth could sat- isfy, one would be satiated. One aches with the wear- iness of trying to understand, to gras]) it all. .\fter spending the morning there we felt we must ha\e the afternoon out of doors. So. after luncheon, carriages were ordered, and we drox'e out to the I'incian llill. The beautiful park-like gardens, with their wide stretches of green turf, were restful to the eye. This is a fashionable resort in the latter ])art of the after- noon, when the band ])lays and tlie Italians ])a\- and recei\-e \isits. sitting in their carriages. We enjoyed watching them and looking- at the beautiful \iew from the crown of the hill until the sun went down: then we went home through the darkening streets, where handsome shops were blazing with electric lights. ROUXD THE WORLD IX SILIvXCE 29 Xext day we got clown near the heart of ancient Rome, by going' early to Trajan's Fornni. There is little to be seen there except the Column, which is w(~)n(lerfully preserved. Aroimd it is wreathed, in an ascending- ]>rocession. the sculptured story of Trajan's wars. From the Forum we walked to the Career Mamertinus. one of the city's most noteworthy an- ticpiities. The Apostles, Peter and Paul, were im- prisoned there, being thrust down through a hole in the roof into the lower chambers. There is a stairwav now. down which we crept, to the dark, damp dungeon l)elow. It made the l)ible seem so real to stand on the ^•ery spot which the feet of the apostles had ])resse(l so long ago. As we went di^wn the A ia delli Crazie into the Roman Forum. 1 ])ersua(led the rest to go on and lea\e me. Once alone. 1 sat down on a crumbling column in the j'.asilica Julia, and dreamed that the empty s])ace around me was filled with the Romans of olden da}s. in their white togas. Ojiposite were the three graceful columns of the 'J'emple of Castor; at my left, the Arch of Septimus Seyerus ; on the heights aboye. the eight columns of the Tem])le of Saturn. F'lcecy cloudlets dotted the tender blue of the sky. Presently a real li\e ancient Roman, wearing the badge of a guide, came along and tried to scrape acciuaintance. .My dream Romans ])eing more inxiting than this realilw I ottered him some small change, hoping he would de- part. The rapidity of his exit was amazing. .Mo\ing on, 1 came to the Palace of the X'estal X'irgins, where there were prett\' tlower gardens aud a founlain in the ruins of the Court. Pack of this are the huge ruined walls of the Palace of the C'esars. and larther on is the ROUXI) 'IMII', WORIJ) l.\ SIIJ'XCI': Arch of Titus with its sciil])ture(l rc])rescntati()ns of the s])oils broui^ht from tlie sacred city of the Jews, the seven-branched candlestick, tlie truin])ets of tlie Jubilee, and the table of the shew -bread. Here also is ]:)ictured Tittis returning' from Jerusalem : his face has been almost destroyed, not ])\ the tooth of time it is said, but by stones thrown by the Jews. To this (la\' no Jew will, of his free will, ])ass under this arch. A little further on. and we are at the Colosseum. It was not so attracti\-e. \-iewe(l 1)\' the liLi'ht of dax'. as when 1 first saw it. with its massixe broken arches standing;' otit clear in the bright mo()nli,uht. Then it was eas\- to imagine the I\m])eror in his chair of state: to see a multitude of faces looking down on the little band of Christians in the arena: to hear the roar of ferocious humanit}- drowning the roar of the wild beasts below. Xow. \iewed by light of garish (la\-. 1 saw nothing but huge bare walls. Later in the day we went to the Church of San Clemente. an interesting i)lace. built on the ruins of an early Christian Church : and below this are the ruins of btiilding's of a still earlier age. We went down into the lower church, which our guide lighted uj) so that we could see the frescoes, some of which were \"er\ hue. The buildings under this. — that is. the third stratum. — were lull ol water, and we could onl\- i)eer down a dark stairway. .\exl came a \isit to the Church of San I'ietro in A'incoli. to see Michael An- gelo's wonderful Moses: and then we went to the Santa .Maria in .Vracoeli. to see the llambino. which is a doll carved from olix-e Avood brought from the Ciarden of (jethsemane. The ])riest led us u]) to the altar, and. opening the doors of the shrine, touched a spring which Roi'xi) Till-: woRi.i) IX siij-.xci': .^1 bnni, .\. 1). Think of it I .\ little Roman was baptized while we were there. ROL'XI) rWE WORLD I X SlLlvXCl': 33 Near the Lateran is the edifice which contains the Santa Scala. or Jloly Stairs, a fiiqht of t\vent}-eihown. are \er\' rich. ( )n lea\inu' the i)a]ace .u ROl'XI) 'I'll!'. WORLD 1 X SILIvXCl-: \vc (Iroxc out of tlic cit}-. ])asl the Colosseum, lhrout;h tlie Arch of Constantinc and aloni^" the Ap]Man Way to the Catacombs of St. Calixttis. stoi)])inij,- on the way to visit tlte ruins of the Ikiths of Coracalla. 1 was amazed at their extent. Walls of immense thickness, Li'reat halls open to the sky, arched i)assa;^"es. mosaic ])a\emcnts, and frai^'mcnts of sculjjttu'ed pillars still remain. Sixteen hundred ])eoi)le could be ac- commodated at one time. They did not do thing's on a small scale in those days I The dri\-e to the Catacombs is cpiite li>n^-. I had been lookiui^' forward to a dri\e in the cottntry, and was nuich (lisa])pointed to tind that a hii^ii stone wall, all the wa\- on each side, cut off the \iew entirel}'. W'c ali_^iited at a little ,L;'ate in the wall. Inside, a br(Kid walk leads awa\' across the fields to a flower !_;arden and a i^rotij) of little stone houses. In the first one a monk was selling" tickets of admission to the Cata- combs. We decided that we would all .^o down, exen lUiddie. I was a little bit friiihlened, for I had heard harrowiuLi' tales of ])eople who had been lo>t in the ^ioom_\' de])ths. but nothing' could ha\'e made me cou- lees it. Another monk joined us as Li^uide, and ^axe each one oi us a candle the size of a lead pencil : ihe^e were all lii^hted, a siL^ht at which Ibiddie's e_\ e-- ^rew lar^x-. Then we started for the next little >toiK' house, which turned out to be onK- a rodi (ixer a de>cendiu^ stairway, di)wn which we crept and then alimi; a ])as- ^aL;'e-way hewn in the solid rock. .\'iche> which had once been tombs hoiuwcombed the rock^ i m either side Mere and theri' were chaml)er> of C( m^iderable --ize, containing" >to]K- cotyin>. The tloor> in the ])a'^--a,L;c'- wa\ were \ ciw une\en. and thei"e were dark ualK'rie^ ROUXD THE WORLD IX SILKXCE 35 branching- out on every hand : our candles made tiny spots of light in the intense darkness. This Catacomb has four galleries, one al)ove another, but we descended only as far as the second, 'i'he monk's tales of the martyrs, recited in those black tombs, shook us with vi\i(l realization of the suffering of the early Christ- ians. So many were killed : in one niche, a whole family of seven persons had been found. The monk also showed us the spot where the first bishop was laid. All the niches are empty now. lUuldie scorched his hair with his candle, and after he had been ])ut to bed that night was heard telling his horse all about it. That horse goes to bed with him every night, and is becoming a most highl}- educated beast. llis little master tells him every night all about what he has seen during the (la\-. A\'e drove along the A])pian A\'ay as far as the tomb of Cecilia Metella. that huge circular structure with which we are all familiar from the numerous photo- graphs. Then, as the sun had set and dusk was gath- ering, we turned back, for we had been warned not to sta}- outside the walls of the city after dark. Another morning came, and was devoted to the X'atican (jaller_\- and ka])haers Stanzo and Logge. In the first named there is not a great collection of pictures, but they are some of the most ])reci()us in the \\'orld. The_\- are arranged in sexeral rather small rooms, and among them are l\a])haers glorious Trans- tiguration and his Madonna da h'oligno. The I.ogge is a gallery, formerlv open to the weather, but now enclosed with glass. The ceiling is divided into thirteen sections on which are ])ainted scenes irom the llible. This is known as " Kaphael's 36 KOUXD Till': WORLD l\ SIIJCXCI': l)ible ". P^irther on are tlie series of rooms called Raphael's v^tan/.e, once used as state apartments by the Po])es. The frescoes in these rooms have the repu- tation of bcinj^' the best of that master's work, and deal with events in the li\es of various Poj^es. After this we spent a ne\er-to-l)e-fori;"otten hour in the v^istine Chapel. ( )n our last afternoon in Rome we went to the Church of the Ca])])uccini. In the basement of this church are the burial vaults of the Capuchins. I'nlike most of these ^•aults. this is abo\-e i^round, and is a loni;- i^allerw clearl_\- lii^iited by a row of large grated windows along one side. The hoor of this gal- lery is of earth brought from Jerusalem. — a burial ])lace not onl\- consecrated but holy. Hut in this lim- ited s])ace there is not room for the bodies of all who ha\e lived and died in the monastery alone, and so each new Ixul}' is given the ])lace of the one longest buried. Some monks of a long past generation con- cei\-ed the idea of using these de])osed skeletons as decorations for the room, a grotescpie and horril)le fantasy \^•hich has been carried on until the ])lace now has the appearance of ha\-ing been built up of human skulls and bones geometricallv laid, .\ltar, chande- liers, tlie walls whicli mark ott the burial alcoxes. the arched entrance to the recesses, all are Iniilt u]) of human bones bound together b\- cement. In skull- lined niches stand the l)ro\\n-rol)e(l and hooded skele- tons of those who ha\'e been noted men in the order. The monks seem to rejoice that the\- shall some (la\- rest here: but to us the ])lace was so dismal and so unner\-ing that we hurried out to the cheerful shops and di\-erte(l ovu' minds b\- tumbling o\er the stel. C\'iin». R().M1^ was just waking' u]) to a new (la\ when the " l*"ainihie lirown ", as the Italians at the hotels call us. drove through the city to take the eis^iit o'clock train for Jirindisi. There was conster- nation in our omnibus; somebody had lost a ticket, and a wild search throui^ii ])ockets and liandbaL^s was carried on to no ])urpose. A tele])hone from the sta- tion to the hotel brous^ht the answer: \'es. somethinLi' had been found: and, after ex])ectant \vaitin<4', a smil- int;- boy on a bicycle broui^ht triumphantly forth from his ])ockets — a ])air of old slippers! And thus we lett Rome. The tri]) we had ])lanned to the 1 lol\- Land had to be L^ixen u]>. There is ])er])etual (piarantine between Lort Said and jatia, two daws" dela\- at each ])lace. That ^vo^dd make us miss the China, on which our ])as- sai^'e tor Colondx) had been taken louj^' ago. h miglit be months before we could seciu'e berths again for our whole ])art_\-. and we had no desire to sojourn long in Lort Said. There are no ])laces of interest to us there; it is onl\- a sort of half-wa\- station for tra\ellers who come in on one steamer and lea\e on the next. The >treets are lull ol hurrxing ])eoi)le : not such a crowd as one sees e]>ewliere. — all nati\e.'> exce])l hw a lew I'.nglish tourists. Here there are twenty nationalities, and there are men on business, shippers and trader> and agents, as well as mere pleasure seekers. L is ROl'X'I) 'IMll'. WORLD IX SIIJ':\CI". 30 aiiuisiti^' to read the sii^ns aloni;' the street. — lM"eneh, IVirttii^iiese, Diiteh. — iiiaiiv in strange letters tliat we eould not ex'en L;tiess at. h'nnniest of all was the niee (li\"ision ot honors on the street cars; " Trainwax' de I 'ort v'^aid "" t]ie\- were lahelled. 'Idle train ride ol toin" and a half hotirs from I *orl ."^aid to (.'airo was delii^ht fid. in si)ite of the fine sand l'( )IM' SAI I) that hiew in at the windows and eoxered e\-er\thinL;'. I'or more than an hour the Suez Canal was in si^hl ; then we ran alon^' heside wide fu'lds of corn or eoltun. and a> w c- ate our Inneheon in tlu' eoinlortahle dininij, car w (.■ loiikt'd out ()n lile which mnsl ha\c' been nnudi tlu' >ame in ( )ld Testamenl da\s, the fellaheen plowing; . 40 ROUXD TllK WORLD IX SILHXCK Uetwecn tlie fields and the train was a wide irrigating ditcli. in wliicli thick ])atclies of lottis grew. On the other side of tlie (Htch a road was raised liigh above the tiehls. Along this road tlowed a continuous stream of life, — camels, donkexs. ])eoi)le on foot or riding, children ])la\ing. m\- lord riding a loaded camel, mv lady trudging at his side. It was the time of the great .Mohammedan holiday, the least ot Ramadan. Cairo was the centre of attraction: and at e\er\- station crowds struggled to get on board. The Continental is one of the largest of the Cairo hotels, and as this is the height of the season, one might almost fanc_\' oneself in JCngland, if it \vere not for the -Arab and French servants. Cairo is a fasci- nating ])lace. It woidd be long before I sh(jtdd tire of watching the life on the streets. .Vrabs, in long flow- ing robes, jews. Mohammedans, tall black men from the Soudan. J^ngiish soldiers, officers. English ladies, donkeys, tram cars, and handsome carriages all mingle in confusion. Xew Cairo has beautiftd, wide, shady streets, and handsome btiildings: but old Cairo is e\en more interesting, with its narrow streets swarming with life, its tall houses with their dungeon-like room> opening directh' onto the street, and their u])])er lloors of Coarse lattice work, through which dark e\es shine, its bazaars with their rtigs and oriental ctu'ios. and the ])eo])le tliemsel\-es. — here a water-carrier with his goatskin full of water, there a swarthy man in a huge green turban, and there again some lledouius in llow- ing bernouses. The street is a mo\ing mass of color. It is Comical to >ee men in long white robes riding ( m doid>an. a colossal building;', but in a rttiiious cnndition. Workmen were there restoriiiL;' it, and they ■-ho\\A' Abixpie is not far from the Citadel, to which we proceed(.-(l lu'xt, .^oiiiL;' through tin- L:,atiw\a\ and uj) 42 ROfXI) THE WORLD 1 X' SILK NX K the steep and narrow road which was the scene of the massacre of the Marmeluke lie^s. Tliere is a glorious \-iew from a corner of the fortifications. Tlie Alabaster .MoS(|ue is witliin tliese walls, and wliile the rest went in, l^)nddie and 1 sat in the carriaL^e and had the amnse- ment of watching" jjctiple take off and pnt on their shoes as the\- went in or came out. W hen the rest came back, we took our turn, Iluddie in his stocking- feet, and I \vith a hu^e pair of yellow slipi^ers tied on over my shoes. 'I'his .Mos(|ue is the btudal place of Mehemet Ali, the Stdtan who ordered the massacre of the Marmehikes. Most wonderful of all. we have seen the Pyramids. I can hardly realize that it is not a dream. We drove acr(.)ss the city to the electric tram\\a\'. which starts from tlie other side of the I\iser-en-Xil brid^'e. and were soon s]nnnin^' awav alonj^' a tine, broad. \vell-ke])t road, on one side shaded by lars^e trees, and on the (tther side flanked 1)\' a hiiih stone wall, behind \\hicli we had an occasional ])ee]) at a stuccoed \illa in its L^'arden. or at wide areas of land under water, h'ather Xile is doinj4' well for the cittin,L;" on the .ground and turned a kindh e\e on me a> I came u]) : all there w a> for me to do was to arrange myself in the saddle. .My boy |(»oked at me eni'ouraL'inpK-, showed me the proi)er wa\' to hold on. ROrXD Till': WORLD IX SILKXCI-: 43 by i^raspin^- tlie horn of the saddle in front with i)ne hand, and that in the rear with the other, v^o far all went well, then came the sur])rise of my life. — a ter- ri])le eartlu|nake bes^an as m_\- beast untanj^led his front lei4S. and then as I still stuck on. thoiii^h much on the bias, another earth(|uake behind followed and there I was away up in the air. with m\- mount standing' on all four feet. ( )nce mo\in<4". it was perfectly delii^ht- fid. Xo ((ueen u])<|uarely. but with the corners hewn from the stone. ( )ne of the chand)ers was lined with huL^e blocks of r(iu,!_;ii alabaster. i\idin^" around the (ireat I'xramid one is im])ressed by it> immcnsilw It is said to cnxer thirteen acres ol ground. .Mr. lirowu. with a retinue of iy<4\ptians to ])U>h and ])ull him, be^an the ascent. The rest ot us. contcnl to allow him
top])in^' (jII the tramwax'. when half way ther(.\ to \isit the Zoological (larden. Then I'.uddie wa< lia])])\- I Such a beautilul L^arden it was. too, with it-- luxuriance of tlowcr--. huLic hibiscus, canna six leet 44 ROUXD THE WORLD IX SILKXCE hig"li. roses and jessamine, its \von(lerful grottoes, its walks |)a\-e(l with mosaic of pel)l)les of different colors. IWit most interesting- of all. to me. was the crowd of holiday makers, little girls in ga}- ruhied dresses, black- clad women with \cils across the lower part of the face. — does that s])iral fastening' the \'eil to the nose hnrt. 1 wonder. — men and l)oys attired in red fez. red sli])])ers. and an l{nro])ean coat over a flannel or calico ".Mother llnhbard"" that came down to the ankles. \'esterda\- we took the trip to v^akhara. I had breakfast \er\ early in order to have time to go and bu}- a straw outing hat before starting. There were several P>ench milliners near the hotel, but all their attendants were Orientals. Perha])s Madame had not }-et risen, anyway J had an interesting time trying to make ni}' wants understood. 'Jdiey insisted on showing me their most elaborate creations, but per- sistence, plain ]{ngiish, and some French n(jt so plain, finally won the day. and I hurried back to the hotel much elated. The express train for IJedrasheen leaves Cairo at half past nine, and it is a ride of an hour. We left the train at a little station full of natives, and, as the donke}s for which our guide had arranged were waiting, we were soon mounted and cantering away. Iledrasheen itself is on the bank of a little ri\-er. and is a t}'])ical nati\e xillage of low mud houses, whose inhabitants were ])ursuing their \arious occu])ations in the narrow street. Thev e\ed us with great curi- osity as we ])assed. To add to the interest, a train of loaded camels came aroimd a corner: the inhabitants already on the groinid ])aid no attention to recpiests to nio\e. and as the camels stayed not for man or beast, we had almost to climb the walls, donkeys and all, to ROUXI) Tlll^ WORLD 1 \ SIIJ-.XCI-. 43 get out of the way. ( )nce clear of the \illai4e the road lav along" a high hank, looking" down on flooded fields on either hand, where men were at work in the thick hlack nuid. One could hut marvel at their exceeding patience, digging" over those wide fields hy hand. After half an hour of riding along this high hank, which wound, serpent-wise, across the fields, we came to more level ground dotted with scattered palm trees. Two colossal statues of Rameses II. the I'haraoh of the Israelites, are in this grcne. A\'e came first to the smaller statue, standing" free and unwatched in the open air. A little farther on is the other, which has heen covered by a high wooden shed in order that an admission fee may be charged. It reminded me of a ponderous side show left stranded by some circus. An undignified idea, wasn't it? lUit it was still more like one inside, where a stairwax" led up to a bridge from which we looked down at the great statue fiat on the g"round. After leaxing the little grove, our path lay through the ruins of Memphis, one of the oldest cities in the world. The prophecy of Jeremiah that Memidiis should become a desert has been fulfilled. Almost nothing reniains of the city. After leaxing Mem])his \\"e soon came to high sand hills, and rode through the desolate sand, u]) and on in the l)urning sun, imtil we came to a dee]) cut in the hill, walled with masonry on either side. This was the entrance to tlie Tond) of .\lera, who was. according to the guide book, an lygyptian ofiicial of rank, about .'i(Mi(i |',. C. its cham- bers are richl}- decorated with ])aintings and bas- relief:- recording the \"arious interests and occu])ations of the dead Mera. In one painting Mcra is ])laying chess. — chess three thousand \-cars before Christ I 4() ROL'XI) Til I', WORLD 1 X SILK.XCl': One can trace tlie whole life of the ancient l^j^'^-ptians here. eatiuL;'. fis^'htin^', holdins:^" a lotus tl()\ver. In some ])laces Mcra is colossal, surrounded by smaller fi^'ures. ( ).\ Till-; WAN •!( ) M l-:.\l I'll I: a naixe \\ay of ])ointin<4' out the ditterence between him and his subordinates. Mountini^' a^ain. we rode on to the Tomb of i)riest Thi. which is almost coxered with sand: ihe excaxation ROUXD THE WORLD IX SILEXCE 47 to tlic entrance, like that to the '1\mii1) of Mera. is l)anke(l up with masonry to hold back the drifting sand. Inside, also, this tomb resembles that of Mera. but it is more elaborate, and the colors of the paintings are wonderfully vivid, while those in M era's tomb are rather dull. Another ride over the drifted sand, and we came to the excavation before the entrance to the Serapeum, where the mummies of the sacred bulls were buried. Inside there is a high, wide gallery, with rockv walls. Our guide was provided with candles and a torch, which shed a feeble light on the intense darkness : and we stumbled over the uneven floors and through long dark galleries, until we came t(^ the series of chambers, on either side of a gallery, in w hich the mummies were found. There are over twenty of these chambers, each containing a huge stone sarcophagus about fourteen feet long and ten feet high, in one of the chambers a ladder had been ])lace(l at the side of the coffin, and its co\-er had been moved back. One 1)_\- one. we climbed the ladder, to look down on — em])tiness. This mausoleum was discovered l)y Alari- ette. the celebrated Egyptologist, in LSfid. and the stone coffins are said to weigh sixty-five tons each. What wonderful skill and restnircefulness those ancient J{gy|)tians had I The guide told me that when Mari- ette first entered one of these tombs he found in the sand that cox'cred the floor, the footprints of the work- men wIk). thirt\-se\en hundred }ears before, had laid the mumm\- in its tond) and closed the tond). — never, the}- thought, to be o])ene(l. We ate our luncheon in the loneK' little house in the desert, once used b\- Marielte. It was a rude little place, stable and rest-house all imder one mof. ( )u 48 ROrXI) THE WORLD IX SILI".XCI<: dismountins^' from our donkeys. \vc walked into a lar^-e room. 0])en on tliree sides, and furnished with loni;" wooden tables and benches. This was already ])retty well tilled with t(mrists. Our j^uide captured the first em|)t\- table, and was soon arran,L;inii" linen, china and silver from the lunch crates he had brouj^ht from the Continental Hotel. It was a nice luncheon, and our strenuous morning- had ])rei)ared us to do it full jus- tice. 1 Avas very anxious to i^xT some pictures of our ])art\- on the donkevs. but our i^'uide would not stop for anvthing': he hustled tis on to our donkevs and started the cax'alcade as soon as ^\•c finished eating'. 1 wish \'ou could have seen our ])rocessi()n ! There A\ere the six of us on donkeys, and the guide on an- other, a man to run beside and belabor each beast, two more men to carr\- the crates of luncheon, another man to carry my twine bag'. It was a \vonder that no more men had insisted on g'oing with us. We made the return journey b\' a shorter and easier wa\-. and ])assed the Ste]) I'}-rami(l. su])pose(l to l)e the <_)!desl historic l)uil(ling' in the world. W hen we reached the road again, oiu' donkex' bo\'s whi])])e(l up our beasts to the best of their speed, and as the\- e\identl\- knew the}' were on the home stretch thc\' were willing to g'o. We l)um])e(l and ])ounded along. It was great lun. and \ am sure that for ])eo])le \\'ho had ne\er been donkc}' riding before, we did remarkabl\' well, liedra- shecn station was reached about fifteen minutes before our train \vas due. and on the homeward ride we had beautiful \'iews of the sunset on the .X'ile and the Pyramids. At one ])lace. when the train sto|)pe(l. I saw a .Mohanimedan sa\'ing' his i)ra\ers while waiting lur his train, lie spread out a bit of cari)el. and. la_\ - ROLWI) Till'; WORIJ) l\ SIM'.XCI': 49 iii!^- liis I)iiiulk' and stall down l)esi(le il, knell there in the midst ot the erowd. ]lis train eoniint^' as lie was in the midst of his dexotions, he slathered uj) hnndle, staff and earpet and made a wild lea]) aboard. The}' tell me it is most interesting- to hear the \arious lanL^tiayes. h'm^lisli. h'rench. Arable. Rnssian and Soudanese bein^' spoken around us all the time. x i;c.xi''i'. ■ ox •nil-; w \x' 'I'o sakiiaka The l'",i;\i)tian nionex' is more ditfieult to understand than an\- I e\er saw belore. I do not know what woidd ha\e beeome ot me il 1 liad not had a eard ;_;i\-en me at I 'ort v^aid with i)ietures of the \-arions coins, thc' exaet size of the real article. These cards ha\c hel])ed me through man\- a diriiculty. We have a .L;'uide who .L;oes e\er}- where with us, but I ha\-e been out ^hoppiuL; alone twice in the region near the hotel. 50 ROL'XI) 'IMIIC WORIJ) IX SILICXCI", 1 boui^lit ])()stal cards yesterday at a tin}' sho]) near ])\ : tlie 1)<)\' was \er\' intelligent, I had niv coin card A\ith me. and 1)\- its means we i^'ot on niceh- oxer tlie mone}-. 'Idiis morning' e\ery one e.\ce])t me went to clun'cli. The serxice was all in .Arabic, they say. 1 )own the middle of the eluirch ran a red cnrtain. di\idin<^' it into two ])arts. On one side of this cm'lain sat the men. on the other side the Avomen. Onite an imi)ro\ement on Onaker fashion, isn't it? ( )ne can't e\en look across the aisle. ROL'N'D THE WORLD IX SILE.XCK 51 VI P. and O. S. S. China, in the Indian Ocean. BEFORE we land in Colombo, 1 want to tell you about the rest of our time in Egypt, and about our voyage. We had to rise betimes that last morning of our sta_\- in Cairo. On account of the fete of Ramadan, the world-famed Afuseum had been closed ever since our arrival, and it was to reopen that morning. After we had wrestled with the Turkish money in paying our hotel bills, and pre])ared evervthing for our departure, we set out for the Museum. 'J'he fact that its official catalogue tills ten Nolumes will gi\e vou an idea of its size, consecpiently \vc tried to see the part of the col- lection most interesting to us, the mummies of the I'haraohs and of the sacred bulls whose tombs we had in\aded at v^akdiara. It was hard to realize that we were actually gazing on the features of the Pharaohs of the Op])ression and of the Exodus, 'idiere is no hint of the mightiness and glory of the Egyptians in these shri\-elled. soulless bodies, stacked and labelled for cooll}- interested ins])ection. It was getting dark when we got out of otu" rowboats at the China's gangway, and ascended to her crowded, brillianth'-lighted decks. .My roommate is a jolly voung kjigiish lady en route I'rom London to join her husband at liangkok. ( )m- room is large and well situated, but not as con- \enienll_\- arranged as the one I had on the Irene: there are no wardrobes, S() we ha\e a great time 52 ROUXD THK WORLD I X SILEXCF. jnillint;" our trunks out frc^m under the l^erths when- ever we want anything-, and then ])ushin,g- them back again. Luckilv for us. we ha\-e an upper deck room, so the heat has not l:)een unbearable but our friends whose rooms are on the lower deck have suiTered all the way. ddiere are only ten of us Americans in the first cabin. The dining saloon is really a very ])retty sight. The English ladies all wear such beautiful dresses and jewels. The China plies between London, Australia and Xew Zealand, so it is a long journey for some of these i)eople. I had ni}- introdtiction to the punkah the first evening at dinner. It is a long board done up in a ruffled case, and, by an arrangement of ropes, it is kept in motion by a boy outside the door; the cooling- breeze it makes is most welcome. The steamer waited at Port Said until afternoon for the arrival of the Osiris with the mails, and all morn- ing the decks looked like an Oriental bazaar, for the people fron-i shore were allowed to bring their wares on board and there \\-as such an array of jewelry, laces, embroidery, glittering' sih'er-wrought shawls, and postal cards spread out on the deck, that we had to n-iove carefully not to ste]) on something. Over the side. ])0}-s were di\-ing- for pennies, and boats with screnadcrs surrounded us. About two o'clock the decks were cleared, and we began to move. It to(-)k us all night to go through the Caiial. though it is only a hundred miles long. The man who knows e\-ery- thing told us it costs .SHi.noo to get a shi]) the size of the China through, and that it was not I )c Lesseps. but an I'jiglishman named A\ aghorn who c*)ncei\'ed the idea nf that canal, but as he died some \ears before ROUXD TMK WORLD I X SILEXCK 53 the work was begun. De Lesseps had all the glory. About nine o'cl(K^k \ve came to a stop, and had a long wait while a number of war vessels passed us. Thev came out of the darkness into the glare of our search- light, and faded into the darkness again, like phantoms. There was not a soul visible t)n their decks. W hen 1 woke in the morning we had stopped at Suez, in the Red Sea. at the end of the canal. What we could see of the town from the ship was alluring, but the sto]) was n(^t long enough to allow going ashore. 1 think the Red Sea must have taken its name from the beautiful coloring of the low uKJuntain ranges that border its shores, for its waters are a brit^ht sap])hire blue. The only sign of life anywhere was at the Wells of Moses. The hills around there are sandy, and a little fringe of trees marks the fountains or wells. This is the spot where tradition places the crossing of the Children of Israel. We reached .Vden at six o'clock in the evening. A few mimites later the mcxjn rose. We could see onl\- the sihery ripjde of the water, the dim harbor outlines, and the dark mountains on the shore, dotted with twinkling lights. The llombay steamer was at anchor near us. and a hundred and twenty of our ])assengers were trans- lerred to her. The guide-book speaks of this trans- shipment as being \ery un])leasant ; but it cerlainK' did not look so at this time, for when the tender sailed awa_\- trom us. full of ladies and gentlemen in e\-ening dress, it seemed as if the\- were merel\- going over for a dance. I was greatl\- interested in watching the unloading of the cargo. Huge baskets filled with long whitish blocks were beinu' raised from the hold 54 ROUXl) TlIK WORLD TX SILEXCK and carefully lowered ox'er the side. ISelow were sc\'- eral hui^e tlal-bottomed Ixiats. in which some half dozen busln-lieaded nati\-es, simpl}- attired in brace- lets, were dancini^'. and at intervals ^iancini^- n]) at the descending' baskets. W hen the baskets came within reach, they would i)ause in their dance lon^' enough to seize them, take out the blocks, and lay them in rows that i^'listened in the moonlii^ht. We ([uestioned a ])assinf4' officer. " liar siher from America", he an- swered. Further alons^' more black men. in a row- boat, were doin^' a brisk trade in ^aily-colored ^rass baskets, which were beini^' drawn u]) to our deck bv a ro])e, the monev beini^" lowered in another 1)asket. Other natixes had inxaded the deck, and were selling;" ostrich feathers and fans. Now the\- had manaj^ed to climb the towerini^' side with their fragile burden was something- 1 could not understand. Altogether the three hoiu's of our sta\- at Aden were full of excite- ment and interest. Tliis shi]) has almost no motion and the heat has in- creased with each daw The steward i)ut a bii;' metal tunnel, s]ia])ed like a tloiu'-scoo]), into otu" ])orthole. It is s])len(li(l at catching' the l)reezes and brin^in^' them into the room, and it is also t^ood at brin^in^' in the water, as we fotuid the other nij^iit. Tlie China must ha\'e i^'one into a swell, for about two ()"cIock. when we were all slee])in^' soundh", 1 was awakened by a s])lash of water on m\- face. I sat u]) w itii a start. l')Ut before I realized what had ]ia]»])ent-(l, the little I'ji^iish woman had switched on the li.L;"lit, pulled out the funnel, and closed the ])ort hole. W ater drij)])!,'!! Irom the ceilini;', and e\'er\'thin;4" was wet. We cami)tMl (lut the best wa\' we could until nuirniuv', when we ROUXD Till': WORLD 1 X SILEXCK found that little daniat^e hatl l)een done, exce])t that a pretty lace hat tliat \vas hanging" on the wall was streaked with rust. There is a \-ery lively set in this cabin. 'rhe\- have s])orts " on the deck e\'ery afternoon, and dancing every exening. when there is not a concert or a ball. The ]"ancy-dress I Jail the other night was a \-ery ])retty affair, and the beauty and \arietv of the cos- tumes shown would ha\-e done credit to any occasion. My roonnnate has a }(nmg nephew, seventeen or eighteen, whom she dressed ti]) as a baby in a white frock, a lace cap which I made, a blue sash and blue shoulder knots. The bow who has ])ink cheeks and infantile blue e\es, looked so " cute '" that the jtulges could not resist awarding him a ])rize. These iMigiish peo])le are ne\-er still: the\- are not hai)i)y unless they are doing something, and doing it with all their might, too. It seems to me too hot for any exertion, but they are ha\ing cricket on deck now, with a net arottnd them to keep the balls from going o\er1)()ard or doing execution among us. I^x'ery day they ha\-e a tug ot war, and races of all kinds : and the women join heart- i]\- in e\'er\tliing. We ha\e just ])assed the .Maldixe Islands, and, ])ointing u])ward, like a slender white finger, Irom a sand\- streak in the blue water, is the light-house the_\' call the ■■ bight of Asia." Tomorrow we shall land in C'l il< ind)o. 56 ROL'XT) Till*. WORLD IX SILKXCI', \]l -Madras. TllF.Rlv was such exciteinent on board, on our last da\- on the China. Stewards were i)ackin^" deck chairs and ])ihn!4" them u]) on tlie deck, uutih l)efore noon, there was hardl}- a seat to be founch Down l)elo\v. otlier stewards were taking- the l)at;'i4'ag'e from tlie rooms and liea])ini4' it in the ])assa!.;"e-way. I'assens^ers were rushins^' hitlier and thither, rcstoriui^' l)orrowed traps, collecting" their belonging's, sayint;' the last \ital thini^s which could not be left unsaid: e\en those who were not .going' to land caught the fe\-er, and tore about on a thousand ins])ire(l errands. Jt grew liotter and hotter. Juirl}' in the afternoon we sailed into the harbor, and the anchor was lowered. Then arose a turmoil compared with which the morn- ing's excitement seemed peace. The gangway had hardly been let down before the crowded decks were mx'aded b\' a fresh swarm from the shore, health- officers, runners from the different hotels, curio deal- ers, tea i)lanters come to meet their wi\es and fami- lies, young fellows to meet their sweethearts. It looked so hot on the water that we told the man from the llristol llotel we would wait until his launch made Us second iri]). so that by the time we left the shi]). it was nearly deserted; e\er\d)o(l\- had gone oil to stay n\cr night for the Cdiina ball at the (lalle l'"ace llotel. I'.}- the time we landed, darkness had fallen. The llrislol is close to the (|ua\-. and I turned from the ROi'xi) 'nil'. WORLD IX siij-:xci': 57 sweet-scented nii;ht \uto its wide halls, \vith arcade open t(» the street, wliere all sorts of fascinating' thins^s were for sale and brii^ht-faced. ([uaintly-dressed Cingalese bes;\ge(l ns to " Come bny "". 'Idien we mounted the stairs to our large cool rooms, furnished with electric fans, rugs that 1 co\eted. and white beds, shrouded in mos(|tuto netting. The arclied . '^<*, ^j^ ■..:-.■' : ^j^.r..- ':: ^' ' ' '''"^i^s^^Rp^ HpO ^ '" — 'fiiMnLiM^ ,u I^H^ * '^ '^^A^^^^^^l l.\ (,'()I,( ).\1 IK ) windows, guiltless ol glass, looked out on green tree- to])S. and down on an electric street car line and a score ol ■■ jinrickisha boys "". their satin-like brown skin >hining in the lani]) light. it is at Colombo that the wilchery of the iv'ist takes hold u])on one. Already I am ])lanning to come again, il possible, 'j'here is a " ])ull " about the place that is irresistible. it is eml)owcre(l in ^reen trees and 58 ROrXD THE WORLD IX SILICXCE shrubs, with fragrant Howers excrywhcre : the roads are fine and hard, the streets are Hs^hted witli j;as. hut most hewiteliinj^' of all are the ])eoi)]e. They are so (|uaint as to elothes. or laek of them, so brit^'ht-eyed and smiliui^'. Men and women alike wear their l)eauti- fnl silk\' hair loni^'. and do it u]) in a knot at the back. ^-C- . S'l'ki;i".T SCKXl' I.V Coi.OMliO with a curious round cond) around the to]) (if the head. All of them are handsome. I lound it difficult tn ,L;"et accustomed to the swarm ol serxants at tlie hotel. S(|uatted on the hall lloor ovuside each door were two men dra])ed round about with yards and \ards of white stuff. TIieN' are alwaxs ready to bounce in. at an\- instant. Ilitherto. hji^land has been alwaxs with us. but here I realize that I am ROL-\'l) Till': WdRLl) IX SlLF.XCl-: 59 60 ROUXD TIIH \\ORLD I X SIUvXCl-: in the l£ast. ] had a l)eautiful (lri\e to Mount Lavinia. where there is a pretty Httle liotel on the seashore, in the midst of pahns and tlowers. The wav lav through X'ictoria Park, once the Cinnamon Gardens, and then through a subtud) of thatched cottages, surrounded hv tro])ical growth. The road swarmed with \\ic. slow- i;.\TR.\.\ci-; TO •nil-; 'i'I'MI'ij: of •rin-; lloI.^■ 'I'oo'i'ii. KA.\i)\'. c■l•;^■|.o^ moxing l)ullock-carts. jinrickislias, women on foot with tat Ijrown l)abies astride their liips. Such a ga\-, Ijright-eyed. lightly-ckid people. 'Idie women and httle naked children in the doorways waxed their hands and called out '" vSalaam I '" J ne\-er saw so man\- prett\' children. Little bovs, dressed in a string of beads around the waist, and bracelets on arms and ankles. ran long distances beside our carriage begging. Most Rouxn Tm<: wori.d i.\ sili-.xci-: oi of them seemed to do it more for the fun of it than anything else. Molly said one of them called to me over and over attain. " Be my good mother and t;ive me money ! " Another one said. " (i<^(l bless you. ladv. give me money ! "' This seemed to be the extent of their English. Another day was spent in an excursion to Kandw We left Colombo at half past seven, and for more than four hours the train carried us througli a luxuriant tangle of green, climbing' heights from which we looked down on wide stretches of terraced rice fields. — a land of strange and interesting things. We had breakfast in the dining' car, and. later, at the toy sta- tions, embowered in flowers, where they sold strange fruit, we bought cocoanuts. from which the seller deftly cut a portion of the top. showing the interior full of milk. To drink from the nut without pouring the contents all over oneself was an art that had to be accjuired. l'ictures(iue Kandy nestles in a hollow ar'o. A uati\e, nnnu'u"' aloni-' '''*'*'*v*W' riiH 'riv.Mi'ijv OF Tiiic ll()r,^' 'rooTir. -K.\XI)^', CI■:^'T - . ■ ~ '^ •• . ' -^ 1** ■^QHhI^h W^ ■■- im.'mi I^H^H r -— - jttm • ■- ■■^^^ ^^ A CATAMAKA.V. — COLOMIU) which coidd be seen at some distance out in the harbor. Tliere was no tender, and the onl\- \\a\- to reach her was by rowboat. The waxes ran hii;ii, threatening;" to swam]) our little boat: and the lour natives, with their (|ueer s])oon-sha|)ed oars, seemed unable to make an\- headway. The boat bobbed up and down until we were nearl\- seasick; then at last we came near the steamer, only to be swe])t away a^ain. ( )ne b\' one we had to jumj) for tlie <4anL;\\a\' as the boat was la- 64 ROUND Tlli<: WORLD I X SILE.XCE boriouslv hroui^ht into positifMi. W'c liad to he (|uick about it. too. 1)efore it was s\ve])t away aL^ain. It was a tlirillint^' time. One man had his Httle 1)0}'. who had l)een verv ill. on a ])ii'ow in his arms, as lie made the leap. I thougiit of you all at home, with a l)i^- lump in mv throat ; and oh. liow thankful 1 was w hen we were all safe on board. The boat ])ite]ied about so dreadfull}' all ni^ht that there was not much sleep for us: Ijut towards morning' we ,Li'ot into smoother water. and anchored off Tutierjrin about se\-en o'clock. We were taken ashore in a steaiu launch which lurched so much that, durini:;' most of the half hour's ride, our chairs were sliding' back and forth and we were clutch- ing desperately at an}-thing and e\er_\thing thai came in our way. ( )ur entry into India was scarcely- what rosy dreams had pictured. — a scramble from launch to wharf, and a walk down the long i)ier to the land, where a ])icket fence ke])t us from stra^•ing. an