The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-06-26
THINGS AS THEY SEEMED TO Be

Inc WONDERS OF THIS WOTlO SO Wlue.
November 7th.-We have reached
Port Said and the great Suez canal
Everything was hustle and excite
ment as we neared the city. We
steamed slowly along the stone break
water up near the quay. where we an
chored about ten o'clock. The doctor
looked over our papers, and all off
cial matters being arranged satisfac
torily we proceeded tosf leave the
boat. Just a word, in passing, about
the canal: Ferdinand de Lesseps, the
man connected with the early history
of our Panama canal, was the origi
nator of the plan, and through his in
fluence over Said, then Khedive oil
Egypt, and later over Ishmahial
Pasha, his successor, he induced them
to make a loan and build the canal
While Egypt made possible the build
ing of the canal, it's benefits have
been more to other countries than
to her own, for no ships of note fly
ing the Star and Crescent and carry.
ing the produce of Egypt passes
through the canal England, who at
first opposed the building of the ca.
nal, later seeing the advantages it
would be, planned to get the manage
ment into her own hands. Now all
the bonds are held by French or
English houses, and the burden of
interest falls heavily ON Egyptian
shoulders. The canal is absolutely
neutral, no power being allowed to
blockade it, or deny passage to an
other power during times of war. The
building of the canal offered no great
obstacles to be overcome by the engi-
neers, but rather it was simple job
to scoop out the sand and build the
walls. 1t is sea level proposition,
with no intricate locks to be con-
structed. At least ten vessels daily
pass through, most of them flying
either the German or the English
flags. 1t cost in toll to take the
Cleveland through on this trip $780,
600. She is the largest passenger
vessel ever passing through. A
splendid statue of de Lesseps stands
on the sea-wall, just outside the quay
at Port Said. Port Said was named
for the old Khedive who started the
work, Ishmalia, a city on the main
line to Cairo, for the Khedive who
finished the work, while Tewfik, the
station at the western entrance of the
canal, was named for the son of Ish-
mahl-a small but lasting return for
what they did for the world.
We left the Cleveland at Port Said
and were taken on tenders to the sta
tion, and left at 2:30 for Cairo. The
trip was most interesting. We ran
alogn beside the canal for way and
saw nine large ocean vessels pass
westward through it. A most glo-
rious sunset made a splendid back
ground against which the tall, grace
full palms and the passing caravans OF
camels and the sturdy little burden
bearing donkeys stood out in bold re-
lief. The long flowing robes of the
men and women (for both sexes wear
a loose wrapper-like outer garment
reaching almost to the ground) lost
their grimy look, and tatters and dirt
were turned, as if by magic against
the sunset sky No sooner had the
sun disappeared from sight behind the
line of sand on the west than glo
rious full moon showed above the
eastern horizon, with its accompani
ment of stars, and they certainly are
more gloriously bright here than any
where else.
About seven we reached Shepherd
Hotel, and after a dinner served b.
Turks in white robes, girdled will
red sashes and wearing the red fee
yes, we took Turkish coffee, which
will bear a description. One gets bu
a thimble full, and it is strong an
sweet. A thick sediment of pulver
lied coffee settles to the bottom of TIL
cup.
The railway running from Por
Said, pronounced Port Sade) to Cal
TO is an excellent one, the coache
were large and new, being divide,
into compartments, with an aisle run
ming along one side. The train wa
vestibuled after the modern fashion
Egypt is-or rather that part of it
in the desert. For many miles W
ran through country as barren a
Missouri river sand-bar Then sue
denly we ran into the valley of tn
Nile, every foot of it cultivated, an