The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-22
The Viceregal Yacht HASA and Its
Passengers at Suez and
ESRlaisia.
Scenes and Incidents Of Travel
in the Suez Canal.
a Mysterious Ielle---Eoyaaty, DC
mocracy, British 1Iearts OF
Oak" and the Arabs.

The Harem YncIit--A Band aud the SLAM
GERS, for the FIRST Time in Egypt--Shore
Scenes nj IsmGiia-Royeisy ''Swceping''
Past-An Empress DroIncdary.
CAIRO, Nov. 20. 1900.
THE conclusion OF my last correspondence on
board the Masa was prophet,c OF adventure. had
Just turned INTO my cabin full OF anticipation OF the
morrow, which was to see Us inaugurate the canal,
when gentle tap al my door caused me to reopen
It. and Instead OF the boy who was TO give my boots
the last brush thought they would get before we
reached Suez, | stood facing very pretty and what
i should call, TOO, very striking woman.
! had not yet seen her among the pas
-sengers and had no idea where she came from
or what shs wanted. | supposed she had
made mistake and hastily buttoned up my vest,
felt after the ends OF my loose neckte and performed
other usual ceremonies by which ladies comprehend
they are intruding Sir, are yon Guy FluXSr asked
Sne fair stranger, to which l did not answer. but
bowed II believe you are and If SOL she con.
tinued, II wish 10 speak to you.n AT that moment
q loud burst Of laughter from five men in the next
cabin made me feel awkwardly situated. They were
laughing over their wine and game at baccarat
however, and might NOT have heard the few words
that had been said, so | stood back IN humble
acquiescence. II want 10 come in.'' continued The
lady. OF course l smilingly acquiesced again
seat could offer, which vas my umbrella lying over
. vaise, she drew forth note from her pocket and
while was reading 1t quietly wound up her watch.
ltwas Vespetro again. The lady was friend of
one OF his friends, and he requested me TO show her
every attention until she reached Suez ditto from
Suez back again to Alexandria, when the .fstss
would be over. She was he said, a perfect lady
travelling with mysterious OBJECT In view (tats
alarmed mel and he hoped he could trust her to my
keeping In fact he knew ne could, and he had told
her would be her knight: he had pledged his word,
his honor and all his other ABSTRACT possessions 10
his friend In nv name, and hoping should not De
much lnconvenenced Dy mosquitoes at Igmallla,
where he had heard they were awfully thick, ne
begged to remain my ost devoted friend.
When had perused this epistle found the lady's
gaze was fixed on my countenance "Sirn she
said, Il have delivered that note to you because /
promised my brother would but think ought to
say directly that the protection you are asked to
give me in case Of need IS not wanted. / am very
fair traveller In Europe, and Fair any
where ventured; but sle knit her brows and
looked thunder clouds. ''And l think ! shall do in
Egypt" she added, or course she would do, !
thought, while | uttered--"At all events, mademoi-
seie. should you require my services they at
your uEposal;' whereupon she got OH the umbrella,
ana by the sweep OF her bow TO me and sly smile
OF triumph as sne passed out observed sac was
Quitc 'fhslculc.N my name she sad rs in
perla The Initials on my luggage are L. $. - after
which fact was wished good nlgnt ana nad the
door OF my own cabin shut IN my face
NY renectons were not calm on the whole. Mile
lmperia s. evidently expected me to look atel
nothing out her luggage in the land Of Egypt /
who had packed my best dress coat ana Ia lac. ali
my best clothes IN one yaIise in order to travel
numbered For the first ume III my lie thought
Vespetro very cool, and would much have preferred
writing verse IN q iadys album; even that my
condition ~ II then stood before me. 1 was fortl-
nately, very sleepy. and as we were TO be shipped
n a y IL ma rhAf
depth than the Masa. and a. we had TO be up b.
ave A. NJ. IN order TO get settled before We steamed
down the canal, eAdeayored 10 drown present
misery In sumDer winch was sweet but probably
noisy.
Five O'Clock next day saw no daylight, nothing
but wretcned confusion on the Masa. Then 1t was
tnat tue inproyident hospitality extended 10 guess
who should have been located elsewhere was re-
pented OF. All the passengers at about six were
sury; they huddled together search OF their bag.
gage, which had been slowed away anywhere;
then Oil wanted TO be shipped OF irst. This, with
an insufficient number OF boats, caused much al ter
cation through when perceived that gentlemen
who wear RIBBONS ana orders III palaces are quite as
pugnacious as prize fighters AS soon as effects
were recovered theJ stopped up the gangway and
oil people leaped or scrambled. Just IN tue midst OF
this scene | came across Mile. lmperia; she was
seated on her trunk aud looked SO uehantiy Wnen i
touched my nat that was Wiss enough not 10 otter
her my assistance.
Stopping up the way seemed to be the order OF the
day; 1t dawned on small scale only until reached
the middle Of the canal, but have not come 10 the
new ditch yet IN the land OF Goshen. CONFUSION
lasted all Tue morning. boats came By small install
nients and did not convey more than passengers
with their baggage at q time. 1 was told mat we
were to lnaugurate the canal on one Of the Vceroys
MOST magnificent yachts toe haem one; this
tucked my fancy Immensely, and unfortunately
also my appetite, for we had had no breakfast and
there was not even small spray or cauInower IN
the pickle bottle, which We were told was the only
tning left BY way OF provisions on the Masa. Jus.
When the last boat came up TO fetch the lagt SIX
guests looked around for Nile. lmperIa; she was
slipping cup OF conee with the captain. and re-
turned my look OF concern with proyoklng laugh
VII in M fact
disdain OF my extended mana.
When We did get To the Gaboier we found her
crowded 70 excess. There was QUIZ OF general
dscontent among the guests, many o. whom ''meanl
To write the whole a1alr down; IL was an insult TO
avceroy the world should know they were Kept
behind by mismanageInentn i cannot deny bu
that we were kept behind on the Gabpler, but by
good management, though 1t materially affected al
writer's AS they thus lost 4 weeks mail.
Facts are simply that the harem yacht had been
made large. In a country where ladies dock to.
gether III vast numbers and they the vIceroyis
LADIES, who are stout II was made to draw a gool
depth. Had the GabDier been allowed 10 start down
the canal ahead OF the other vessels II was thought
she would have INSTRUCTED the passage OF every one
behind ner, by either sticking IN tie sand or run
harem head that The female navy alone might be
addicted to- While the fainIshed passengers thr CIV
themselves on bread and grapes IN picnic style
entered the cabins prepared for the bellies OF the
harem and saw a most sunptuous signt-
The salon was blue ssun and geld damask, the
small tables gilt bronze aud blue danask The carpet
an Anbusson, pale gray and PINK; the curtains sain
the chandeliers gilt bronze, decorated with flowers
wound around tue branches; large mirrors anC
luxurious seats and cushions aided comfort tt
splendor. The cabins, however or the ylce-queens
were more interesting; there pink satin ana magnlA
cent brocade lined each wall, covered eacl ceiling
marble baths ana deep fringe and tassels and Ia
richest OF upholstery work nad been Imagined. W.
did not move towards the canal IL all this show
until three O'Clock. Our 1rst station was Kas-eEch
where we were cheereu by Arabs; aud Tue captain
BONG AFRAID 10 40 IN the dark we spent tht
wnol6 night here board.
Some officers or the Engush feet had got on thu
6aober besides Others lr0g the DANISH 1eet. They
proposed ball, ana our band struck up the
'Lancersn the first tune that ever heard at Bas
eEch. certainly. Mile IlnperaI was soon the centre
OF attraction. Sne had atllred herself III very be
regal. The oIner adles-there were only three
had also dole the company the honor OF me ap.
pafel. aud the day ended with 'Partant Pour IA
Sylie." AZ there was no room for hali the people
on board mattresses were laid all over The dock, Ia
eyery passage and corner.
felt rather uneasy about Nile Impe ria and asked