volume 2 - Robert Bedrosian's Armenian History Workshop

Octroi and Oranges. 353
me. Several of them did so willingly, and in a few
minutes we were chatting and eating comfortably together.
Whilst thus occupied I saw some of the guards of the
steam tram running up and down the platform, and
peering into the first-class coaches looking for me, but
they passed those of the third and fourth class unnnoticed
to my great relief. At length we steamed out of the
station, and we rumbled along in the happy-go-lucky
way of trains to Suez in those days, and I was left free
to admire the desert scenery on our right, and on our left
the masts and rigging of the majestic steamers which
we passed or met on their way through the Canal.
We arrived at Suez at 6 p.m., and it was almost dark.
Ahmad joined me on the platform, carrying the oranges,
the ulster and the boards with the papyrus between them,
and having taken the oranges from him I moved on
towards the octroi offices, where all hand luggage had to
be examined. I had been warned that the officials
were very vigilant just then, and that they were insisting
on opening every tied-up parcel or packet, and I did
not want the boards to be untied or their contents
examined. I had bought the crate of oranges in Cairo
with a view of creating a diversion at the Suez octroi,
and the time had arrived to use them for this purpose.
When I reached the door of the office the officials looked
at the crate of oranges, and two of them tried to snatch
it away from me to carry it to the counter in the of&ce,
where parcels were unpacked for examination. I held
on to the crate and protested loudly, but they tugged
and pulled, and I did the same, and the mob on the
platform crowded into the office, and took sides, and
some of them encouraged the officials and some encouraged
me. Among those who crowded into the office was
Ahmad, who, when the noise and confusion over the
oranges was at its height, took the opportunity of
slipping through the other door into the street, carrying
the papjrrus wrapped up in the ulster with him. I had
given him the name and address of an official who was a
good friend of mine, and he took the papyrus to his house
and told him what was happening, whilst the octroi
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