The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-04-19
THROUGH THE SUBz CANAL
An Entertaining Letter from AN India
Missionary Enroute Homo.

|
An Entertaining Letter from an Indian
Missionary Enronto Homo.
Special Correspondence Of he Iatelligenor.
sUEz CANAL, Feb. 23.-Wo arc now
lying tied to the bank, Mt station on
this canal, thirteen miles from Suez.
The night is chilly. We begin to feel
We are getting into northern latitude. !
have had my heavy ulster on several
times to-day. The canal is u sort Of a
ditch about eighty.fvc miles long,
stretching from the head OF the Red Sea
to the Mediterranean. 1t is one hundred
and fifty feet wide, and passes through
several small lakes, two OF which are
quite respectable in size. When in the
canal, We literally crawl along, being
allowed to go no faster than five miles
IN hour. AT intervals OF about five
miles there IRE stations where boats can
pass. The delay for these passings is
most vexatious. Think Of it! iV0 have
been in the canal since ten o'clock this
morning, and have made but thirteen
miles.
must make new beginning. 1t is
now after ten o'clock Friday morning.
We were compelled to tic up Mt six lust
evening. Just after this operation, two
steamers passed us, one OF them with an
electric lamp hanging over her bow.
The light was about the size OF n loco
motive headlight, but the power OF ilIu-
mination was so dazzling we could not
look at it. Steamers carrying these
lights can go through the canal without
Winding the night. We were up before
the morning dawncd, to witness n sun
rise over the desert. The mir was cold,
and we felt that we were nearing home.
Only as to the atmosphere, however.
Among the many curiosities seen was n
pelican, with body rs large as a swan.
1t was sailing about in the shallow water
hunting breakfast. Flamingoes also
abound along this ditch, one Of our otli-
GERS said, by millions. l think one
might find rare sport hunting here, We
also saw several flights Of wild ducks.
Suez was sighted Thursday ut eight
O'Clock. After eleven days and thirteen
hours OF stcaming from Bombay, We
passed through tho dock gates and out
into the great harbor OF our Indian home
city. AtG O'Clock Saturday night Feb
ruary ii, number OF our friends came
to the dock TO sec US of, The dock is u
great basin, open only al high tide, and
when the tide GIBBS the gates are shut,
so there is always sufficient water for
ships OF large draught inside. When
we went aboard the knight Errant, our
ship, lay along side the wharf inside the
dock, At $50 p, m. our friends were
informed that the time had come for
leaving the ship. We shook hands, and
in tears parted. When on the wharf
they stood almost in reach Of us, while
we sung several hymns and had two
prayers,
The hymns sung wcreihe eyer touch,
ing and familiar, Sweet BY and BY"
"Blest bethe tic thatBinds," "God bewith
You till we meet Again" The pleasant
but sorrowiul moments were soon spent
and it was not long until the faces, then
the voices Of our friends were lost i'll the
darkness behind our swift moving YES
sell Soon the lights along the shore be-
gan to grow dim, aud to disappear. Our
course was almost due west, and India
was dropping inst behind us, Seycn
years OF q missionary life in India had
made that land dear to me. It cost me
something to say "Adieu, India; il
may be forever, for n time it must be-"
Before going abroad We went over our
parsonage stopping only on the terraced
roof, my fayOritc resort, Then, after
taking a long earnest look at tho city
living about us, we descended to our
carriages.
On our way to the steamer We left our
friends and drove to the new 'Rest"
building now in process OF erection; !
climbed 10 tho top OF the unfinished
walls and standing alone IN the dark
ness up there, bowed my head in prayer
to the God who had allowed us to see
the wonders in connection with the
mission that this rising pile Of buildings
represented, Climbing down to the
ground, where my wife was awaiting
me, put my arm through hers and
after another call to God Tor blessing
upon the work we were leaving, we
walked out in the street and were driven
to the steamer Eleven days steamIng,
as | have said, broughtus 10 sucg, where
the canal begins. In all my ocean yoy-
agings have never had such delight
fiji time, The sea, the winds, the tenn
peraturc were all friendly and combined
only for our comfort.
We entered the Red Sea by the iG'
nous Straits Of Babel Mandel, through
which, no doubt, tho fleets of Tyre
brought the wealth OF the East to enrich
the court Of King soloman. These
straits arc narrow, and we had head
wind TO cnliven us as we steRmeI
through. In the middle OF them is a
rocky island, known Us Perrin. This
being key position, is in the possess
ion Of the British. Ono cannot but be
impressed by the sagacity and power Of
Britain us he travels in the East. She
holds all the strategic points, and that
too, in force. This story is told in con
nection with Perrin. The French were
en- route to occupy the island. stopping
lat Alden, a British port, the French Rd
miral, heated with wine, communities
ted his mission to some one ut that place
The British commander invited thu
admiral TO q ball given in honor OF tht
tri-colored flag that evening, While ~
muddled Frenchman was enjoying thu
pleasures OF the evening, British gun
boat was steaming for Perrin. The mex
day when the French admiral reached
Perrin, John Bull made polite bow
and invited him to refreshments uDde
the protection of the English Jack.
While entering the Gull Of Suez, w
again encountered q head wind. Abou
dark we passed n wrecked steamer. He
bow, resting upon rock, was high il
the mir. This unfortunate ship carries
General Grant to China on his tou
around the world. She was lost fou
months ago. Her name was Ulysses
We felt quite sad us we steamed by
leaving the poor thing to be battered +
pieces on the remorseless reef. We ar
now thirty.iive miles from Port Said
tied to q sand bank, waiting for eigh
ships to pass. J, SUMNER STONE
The Drummer Was Crushed.
A Chicago drummer balanced his chi
-. A. =, I,.n ~ Nhn scat IN frhnt nj hif