New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-20

,bosa sbns of the Desert NJ de Lesseps sat on his
horse cool ygilant, energetic as everansweIlhg 1ory
questions a minute; prompt, but unswervngly po
lite sought Mr. Hale at the house OF NJ de Lesseps'
impelled by & vague notion, which henceIOrth lS
nOunce that a Consul in such circumstances mlshO
be a helpful man to journalist in search OF SNIP
AT the Consulates where lin moment of delusion)
/ had hoped to find Mr.. hale. with whom hau
some kind of appointment. not definite th'y
nd t5d me he was with NJ de Lcsseps.
Rut he was not there and my rapid question 10 NJ ue
Lessons brought me a more rapid answer that MI
Hale was nj a specifed house. a quarter OF lhlIe
away Before could thank him for SO much huoi-
nation lie had answered at least five other quesuohs
his head nj least clear in all the distractions OF tat
brilliant confusion. My mind was madenp. lwonId
,osto ~, more time in search of who probably
conld do nothing for me if found him. and went
straight 10 the Bureau where sat the othcer-bey OF
Pacha know not what-in whose hands my la'e
rested He, and believe he only had authority over
ships admiTals, and all.
GETTING LAUNCHED.
The scene about the entrance of the Bureau was
like tho scene about the house of NJ de Lesseps-ike
II as one turn of the Kaleidoscope is like another,
each more grotcsQue, more splendid, more maze OF
blending colors than the other. To one who wore a
European dress there was no difficulty In entering
wherever there was room to enter In the ONCE
where sat the Bey-I will call him Bey at hazard
sat also half dOzen passengers OF the Gulenne Win
despairing faces. | asked what chance: they told me
none whatever. Their applications had been heard
politely, refused as politely, and neX0r9Dly: IHeIe
were engineers a high savan and delegates from
French and Belgian Chambers OF Commerce. Ohe
of the latter was urging his request as entered
He was told i'm three words, there was no pOsSloie
Mace ON any ship. He asked for pass 10y the rail-
road To Snez. The railway was overworked, tran
leaving half hour all the tents had to be carried
wlr1f mn N
could be granted. The Frenchman turned away WIN
a face as if some great calamity had changedand
ruined the fortunes OF his lie; misery so oul Oh
proportion to the annoyance OF delay that IL was
NV turn came. I presented my Invitations
document from which don't part day or highland
nv card and stated my case as briefly and urgently
as knew how. That was one OF the Editors OF
THE TRIBUNE tthe Importance of when journal L
did not underrate in my statement; tnaJ was
charged with this correspondence; that only halt
my work was done on the arrival of the neet at
lsmailia that to complete 1t was lmPosSLoi a. ~
could not 90 through tie Canal with the Meet
to SueZ; that II was, III a word essentla
to me- to the journal represented, to the Canal
Company, and tO the NlceTOY himself, whose guest L
was that should be put at once board some ship
Of the Suez fleet 1t is tTue exclaimed the Bey as
l finished my short speech; lyon must go. You
shall have an order" My surprise at his prompt
assent was considerable but it was nothing TO that
of nv fellow passengers, who had been waiting, some
of them three hours. and whose entreatles had one
and all been refused. The Bey reflected moment,
took slip of paper wrote at the head OF 1t In Roman
characters the word "Sennar" and underneath IN
Arabic that like engraving the order
70 the captain to receive me on
board. He handed it to, me. saying The
SEMINAR has been reserved Tor the Dplomauc corps
lint the Admiral must find u cabin for you Bon roy
gqeD ] thanked him, but did not go. My errand
was not yet done Success gave .Ds new hopes. l
had French friend with me- asked place for
him also. With a moments hesitation, that 100,
was granted line added TO the order, an Otncer
was summoned, and was told that he was TO see me
safe on board the SEMINAR. L owe many thanks 70
that Egyptlan whose name even do not know. In
nv selfish haste | did not stop TO ask the people
about him. but, repeating my acknowledgements hur-
ried away with my order and my Ottcer.
Ii was high time to be Gilmore than haf-past
eleven | had my friend TO find, my luggage TO get
from my tent. worst OF all boat to get. and the
pressure for boats was so strong that was pOsSe
even vet to miss my ship And an Arab is not the
man 70 hurry if he can heplt think 1t probable
the three or fOur whom had about me for the next
twenty minutes Will remember 1t long. The good
luck which had thus far befrlended me brought back
my friend nj the last moment, our luggage was
sbonldercd by the Arabs who found it heavy, but
carried il at a swinging trOt. We forced our
way through dense crowds the quail found
were on board a launch which steamed off amid
frantic shouts of Bakshish from dozen Arabs we
tossed half crowns enough to make them rich for
week Nv dTaCOman asked Inc ten francs Tor ms
days service. l should nave thought u cheap ~
twenty, but great was his surprise when gave him
Wv yICEREGAL MEAL AND QUARTERS.
But where was the Sennarf Not soul on board
the aunch had the least notion There lay anchored
i'm every SOFT of confusion fleet OF forty ships at least
"a dozen OF more Egyptian, winch was the SEMINAR
We went cruising about, haing this ship and that,
for another precious quatteT Of au hour; but no
longer anxious, since saw that the Alge, though
hove snort had her anchor still OF the bottom Al
most every ship was under steam, OOats Vlanclhg IN
every direction not a few hunting. as we were, for
their proper ship. A knowing Egyptian OihceT on
the quarterback of the sixth or seventh vessel we
had hailed pointed ont to ms the Sennar, smart
looking bark-rigced steam gunboat We ran under
her starbOard quarter and hailed. An ofhcer
IN me
hIm the order of the Bey. The officer
took it, disappeared. and in minute more
another came and asked if any of MS spoke English.
We said We rather thought we did. lie replied: The
Admiral directs me to say that he Will receive yOu
on board with pleasure; but ne mas no provisions;
and can give YOU nothing TO eat II you come
"We'll take our chance" answered. and waited for
no further parley, but went up the side, much pre-
ferTug 10 starye en- route for SueZ than TO consume
in IsmaIla all the feSh-pOts of Egypt Our expert
ence of ISmaIa had not reached the point OF hard
ship but 1t was not luxurious We lad q TENT shed
of pine boards to dine and write IN. and for
dinner-well, what we could get. The SUBSISTENCE
of the VicerOy's guests was arranged by contracts
dined but once shore, and that was last night.
when came back from the P6luse too late to keep
my dinner engagements elsewhere. and when the
restaurant table d'h0te was thTee-fourths over.
After waiting Is minutes succeeded IN getting q
seat piece of bread. platefu Of halfdned dates.
and about half bottle of champagne, 1t was not q
bad dinner, altosetber put as me Vlceroy paid "
better thamI did. | mean this statement to be nm
derstood as literally true. SiXty-hye francs day
paid Tor the hODSbJeuCe Ol tdCH BuCStj anu IL
there was any want meanness in the supplies
actually furnished the fault is not that of the Vice
row. whose hospitality is Open-handed beyond any
thing EurOpe ever dreamed Of | have already told
Won think how three staff officers were mercllessly
turned out of their tent TO make room for X. and
myself on the morning of our arrival at lsmallla and
no circumstances of ours had the least effect.
For all his alarming message about food, the ADM
"a received us cOurteOusly, gave us stateroom and
the use of his saloon and rather reer range OF his
shin than one ever finds on an English or American
man of war We were too glad TO be on board to
care abont minor matters. 1t had been very near
thing. Within ten minutes we were under way
cOrns were. / hope. SOME other