Dhow Chasing in Zanzibar Waters - The Search For Mecca

96 DHOW-CHASFNG.
Turkish Mosque, &c., after which, finding the
heat and dust of Cairo almost insufferable, some
left for Suez, where they arrived at 8 p.m., and
found great rehef from the cool sea-breeze, and
the delightful refreshment of ices, which could
not then be got at Cairo.
We had an opportunity
also of seeing one of the most interesting
sights
on the passage out, namely, the hotel at
Suez, with its strange concourse of people.
The hotel is built in the form of a square,
enclosing a very large open court, covered only
by awnings. In this court are several long
tables, laro;e enous^h to accommodate about
300 persons—there must have been nearly that
number at the table cVliote on this occasion.
Steamers are constantly arriving
on both sides
of the Isthmus, bringing fresh supplies of passengers,
who congregate here on the way.
There were people of all nations, chattering
away in their various languages, and producing
such an amount of
discordant sounds, as fully
to illustrate the impossibility of building the
tower of Babel. Now and then, while dinner
was going on, this noise would suddenly cease,