Some American
compasses of the same quality were in good order and not in the least
affected by the climate. It will be a bad day when the confidence in
England's honesty as a nation throughout the world, and consequently
her well-earned supremacy in commerce, have passed away. The burden,
unfortunately, will not fall on the heads of the offenders alone, but,
as usual, the innocent will suffer with and for the guilty.
After four o'clock we came near two steamers lying at anchor, and were
shortly afterwards boarded by the captain of the port, the health
officer, and sundry other functionaries. After a short delay we
dropped anchor, and just as the sun was setting in 'purple and gold'
behind the mountains of Arabia, we went ashore in the steam launch. We
landed at the Canal Company's Office, in front of which there is a
bust of Lieutenant Waghorn, the inaugurator of the overland route.
At the office, the 'Sunbeam' was entered on the Company's books, and
arrangements were made with the chief pilot for to-morrow, while the
children amused themselves by riding a pony up and down, and jumping
over the little brooks, and I strolled about admiring the enormous
growth of the vegetation since we were here last in 1869. We next
steamed five miles further on to the town of Suez, and landed opposite
the big hotel, which is more uncomfortable than ever.
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