The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-02-04
SUEZ AND ITS CROWDS.
BY GEORGE w. sMALLEY.

CAIRO, Nov. 23d.-As the Seminar ar
rived at Suez twenty-four hours after
the Aigle, inferred that we should find
nothing to detain us. The Examinations
had gone out, there had been noEfete,
the decks of the ships among which the
Seminar wound her way to her anchor
age were deserted it was plain that all
we had to do at Suez was to get away
from it as soon as possible. l was
10th to quit the Red Sea without a
plunge into its sparkling waters, but it
seemed needful to reach Cairo that
night. So we sent our compliments to
the Admiral, and the Admiral sent his
compliments to us, with the polite mes
sage that boat was at our disposition.
Our party of seven was soon ready, and
when the luggage had been slowed in
the boat we sent fer interpreter, and
took leave of the Admiral and of the
Seminar in q neat speech. Whether he
thought we were the diplomatic corps
cannot tell, he ordered up his little troop
of marines, and we went over the side
of tho ship to the music of their drum
and fife and with all the honors of pre-
scented arms. The Admiral waved his
last farewell from the quarterback.
hope he will not think it disrespetful if
say that we all thought him an uncom-
monty good fellow.
It was four miles to the town. Yes
terday's decorations still hung gaily on
the ships and along the pier and cause
way. 1t was very much like Port Said
over again, but the guests were fed,
and the sooty skeletons of the fireworks
we had seen the night before marred
the effect-the lights were dead in the
banquet hall deserted. i saw as much
of Suez as n man may see from a boat,
rowing up from the harbor to the town,
and after that from the inside of dusty
whitewashed railway station close
alongside the quai. 1t is paltry place
enough, but has long had great CONNER
cial importance, and is destined to have
still greater as a place of transit. II
produces green oranges, half-dried
grapes, fiat cakes of indigestible bread,
horrible kind of pastry soaked in mo-
lasses, and stuffed with pounded al
mOnds and gravel, and crowd of
shriekiEg, swindling Arabs, Nubians
and Abyssinians, who sell these luxu-
ries to strangers at forty times their
market price. We landed in the midst
of them. A solid phalanx of porters
confronted as ON the steps of the quai,
as the boat approached, resolved we
should not set foot on shore until we
had paid tribute 10 them, and yielded
up our bags and rugs and trunks. There
is but one way of dealing with these
gentry they respect nothing but force.
You might stand till Christmas on the
bow of your boat, begging them to al
low you to land without rubbing against
all those hideous rags and that indis-
cribable filth. The more you pray or
protest-nay, the moment you open
your mouth, they are sure of their prey.
Tray the other way. You will not see
q square inch of room on the steps for
the sole of your foot, but have faith. If
You have a bag in Your hand all the bet
ter. Spring from the boat straight into
the middle of the crowd. The surprise
and the shock will carry you through
The first rank, and then You are safe.
Easy for them to surround Won again,
but they will not do it. For they have
understood instantly that you are bent
on having your own way, and they will
not resist. But, observe, the least sign
of irresolution is total; if there is the
flutter of an eyelash, they are on you
like pack of wolves, and the lesson will
have to be Taught over again. The les
son to the traveller himselfis Invaluable.
Heaven knows there is brutality and
violence enough dealt out by EuropeaHs
to the poor devils of Egyptians. 1t is
not only cruel and mean, but it is the
mark of weakness and timidity in him
who uses 1t. My experience is not long
but believe you may get on perfectly
with these fellows, have your own way
always, escape annoyance, and save
yourself from the shame of striking
men who dare not return the blow.
THEoPHILE GAUTIER.
The train for Cairo was to start in an
hour. The station was filled with wait.
| ing passengers-among others not few
of our Guienne acquaintances, who had
got down to Suez in one way or anoth-
er, and now were not less anxious to
get away from il. The French Empress
hear, is not gone 10 Cairo, but to the
wells of Moses. The Khedive has said
good-by to her, and is devoting himself
to the Emperor of Austria, with whom
he set out for his capital this morning
or it may be in the night, for night and
day are all one Just now. There has
been but two or three trains this morn
ing, and as all who did not go earlier
are waiting in the station to get away
now, infer that the number who sue.
ceeded in coming either by canal or raj
to Suez was not large. 1t appeared af.
terward that most of those at Ismailia
despairing of getting through to the
Red Sea, went direct from Ismailia &c
Cairo, and consoled themselves by tax.
ing possession of all the hotels in that
city persuading themselves also thai
when we came we should find no place
to lay our heads. Among the people
on the Suez platform one man wa:
pointed out to me whom l had been Gu
riods to see-Theophile Gautier, thu
4 first of living French writers on art, Of