st to her companions,
on which the passengers looked very hot and uncomfortable. The centre
part of each vessel was crowded with a large number of Dutch or German
boys, going out as soldiers to Acheen, who certainly did not appear to
be enjoying their voyage.

We passed Chaloux and reached Ismailia just at nine o'clock, not
without considerable effort on the part of the pilot. A steam launch
came off from the shore, and we (children and all) landed at once;
and, after a moonlight donkey ride, dined at the excellent Hotel de
Paris, kept by an old Frenchman. _Table-d'hote_ was over, but they
gave us a capital little dinner by ourselves. The children and I, and
some of the gentlemen, start to-morrow, overland _via_ Cairo, to join
the yacht at Alexandria, in order that they may see the Pyramids. It
was a glorious night as we rowed off to the yacht under the bright
beams of the full moon, and the air, too, was quite fresh and cool--a
most refreshing change from the noontide heat.

The traffic on the Canal has increased during the last few years, and
especially during the last few months; on an average four or five
ships passed through every day. To-day they took 6,000_l_. at the Suez
Office alone. They have an excellent plan of the Canal there, and
little models of ships, which are arranged according to the telegrams
constantly received, so that the chief officers at each end of the
Canal know exactly where every ship is. Instant information is of
course sent of any stoppage or any accident, but these occur
comparatively seldom. Some time ago M. Lesseps bought a small canal
partially stopped up leading from the Nile at Cairo to Ismailia. It
has been widened and deepened, and was opened a few weeks ago with
great ceremony and grand doings. Now any vessel not drawing more than
fourteen feet can go direct from Suez or Port Said to Cairo. If we had
had time, we might have done it in the yacht, and lain at anchor
almost under the shadow of the Pyramids of Cheops. The special object
of the new canal is to make Cairo and Ismailia Egyptian ports as well
as Alexandria, thereby saving much land carriage and labour of
shifting. Already several ships laden with grain, from Upper Egypt,
have availed themselves of this new means of communication.

_Friday, April 27th_.--Another glorious sunrise. The pilot was on
board at 5 a.m., and the Dhebash with fish, strawberries, and fresh
vegetables. This is a beautiful climate, though there is