sual, all the arrangements for our departure
had been carefully made in advance by our managers. We were notified
that the Syrian bell boys would waken us at five o'clock, and our
baggage must be ready at five-thirty; breakfast would be served at six
o'clock; the carriages would be at the Jaffa Gate at six-thirty; and the
train would leave the Jerusalem station at seven.

CHAPTER XIII.

CAIRO AND THE PYRAMIDS.

On Monday morning, after enjoying our usual breakfast at the Casa Nova
of boiled eggs, rolls and pure honey, good coffee, and delicious
oranges, we bade farewell to our tonsured hosts and the staff of gowned
attendants. The carriages were waiting near the Jaffa Gate to convey us
to the station. The train moved off promptly at the appointed hour, and
looking backward, we took our farewell glimpse of the Tower of David and
the yellow walls of the Holy City.

During the three hours' ride to Jaffa the threatening clouds passed
away, the sun re-appeared, the rough winds changed to soft breezes, and
our depressed spirits rose correspondingly. By the time the orange
groves in the suburbs of Jaffa came into sight, the tourists were in a
gay and cheerful humor. But when we arrived at the pier of Jaffa, we
discovered that the sea still felt the effects of the gale. The surf was
rolling high and the angry waves were breaking violently over the
ugly-looking rocks in the harbor, hiding them for an instant from view
and sending the snowy spray high into the air. As we looked out toward
the Moltke riding at anchor a mile away, many of the gay faces became
sober. The boatmen holding the tossing boats to the pier urged us to
embark.

"But timorous mortals start and shrink to cross the narrow sea,
And linger trembling on the brink and fear to launch away"

"Oh, I cannot venture! Go without me! Leave me behind!" exclaimed one of
the ladies, trembling and almost fainting through fear. "Those black
rocks momentarily emerging and disappearing seem like the heads of
terrible monsters waiting to devour us as soon as we come within their
reach."

"Do not be alarmed," said one of the officials on the pier,
encouragingly. "The sea, as you say, has a threatening look, but I
assure you that if there were any danger we would not permit you to
attempt the passage. These Syrian boatmen have been carrying passengers
for years and know every rock in the harbor. They brought the Damascus
tourists from the Moltke without mishap