Date: 1866
It led into a place formed by the waded enclosure on the west, and a fine stone-budt, two-storied hotel, as good as any in Egypt, with the pompous title of " Hotel des Voyageurs," written in large letters on an entablature over a handsome verandah, formed the north side ; Ismalia, and the Canal and sandhills of Lake Timsah, forming the east and south east — our right and front.  We marched along this sandy road, on which were strewed barrows, trucks, iron wheels, blocks, and pieces of ad kinds of machinery .  Approaching the triumphal arch, and finding it was aU constructed of wicker-work, one cannot but admire the ingenuity of the French.