r vessels, charged with founding an
Italian colony at Assab Bay, which cuts into the east coast of
Africa, north of Bab-el-Mandeb, on a tract of land purchased for the
purpose by Rubbattino, an Italian commercial company. On board was
Professor SAPETTO, an elderly man, who had concluded the bargain and
had lived at the place for forty years. It was settled that he
should be the administrator of the new colony. On board the
_Esploratore_ were also the _savants_ BECCARI and the Marquis DORIA,
famous for their extensive travels in the tropics and their valuable
scientific labours. The officers of the Italian vessel invited us to
a dinner which was one of the pleasantest and gayest of the many
entertainments we were present at during our homeward journey. When
at the close of it we parted from our hosts they lighted up the way
by which we rowed forward over the tranquil waves of the Bay of Aden
with blue lights, and the desert mountain sides of the Arabian coast
resounded with the hurrahs which were exchanged in the clear, calm
night between the representatives of the south and north of Europe.

The _Vega_ left Aden, or more correctly its port-town, Steamer
Point, on the 9th January, and sailed the following day through
Bab-el-Mandeb into the Red Sea. The passage of this sea, which is
narrow, but 2,200 kilometres long, was tedious, especially in its
northern part, where a strong head wind blew. This caused so great a
lowering of the temperature that a film of ice was formed on the
fresh-water pools in Cairo, and that we, Polar travellers as we
were, had again to put on winter clothes in Egypt itself.

The _Vega_ anchored on the 27th January at the now inconsiderable
port, Suez, situated at the southern entrance to the Suez Canal.
Most of the scientific men and officers of the _Vega_ expedition
made an excursion thence to Cairo and the Pyramids, and were
everywhere received in a very kind way. Among other things the
Egyptian Geographical Society sent a deputation to welcome us under
the leadership of the President of the Society, the American, STONE
PACHA. He had in his youth visited Sweden, and appeared to have a
very pleasant recollection of it. The Geographical Society gave a
stately banquet in honour of the _Vega_ expedition. An excursion was
made to the Great Pyramids, and, as far as the short time permitted,
to other remarkable places in and around the heap of ruins of all
kinds and from all periods, which forms the