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Title: Notes of an Overland Journey Through France and Egypt to Bombay

Author: Miss Emma Roberts

Release Date: April 16, 2004 [EBook #12064]

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AN OVERLAND JOURNEY ***

Produced by Paul Murray, Leah Moser and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.

NOTES OF AN OVERLAND JOURNEY THROUGH FRANCE AND EGYPT TO BOMBAY.

BY THE LATE MISS EMMA ROBERTS.

WITH A MEMOIR.

1841

This file was produced from images generously made available by the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica) at http://gallica.bnf.fr

CONTENTS.

* * * * *

MEMOIR

* * * * *

CHAPTER I.

LONDON TO PARIS.

  Departure from London—A French Steam-vessel—Unfavourable
  Weather—Arrival at Havre—Difficulties at the
  Custom-house—Description of Havre—Embarkation on the Steamer for
  Rouen—Appearance of the Country—Inclemency of the Weather—Arrival
  at Rouen—Description of Rouen—Departure by the Boat for
  Paris—Scenes and Traditions on the Banks of the Seine—Journey by the
  Railroad to Paris—The Douaniers—Observations on the Journey up the
  Seine

* * * * *

CHAPTER II.

PARIS TO MARSEILLES.

  Description of Paris—Departure by the Diligence—The Country—The
  Vineyards—Hotels and fare—Arrival at Lyons—Description of
  the City—Departure in the Steam-boat for Arles—Descent of the
  Rhône—Beauty and Variety of the Scenery—Confusion on disembarking at
  Beaucaire—A Passenger Drowned—Arrival at Arles—Description of the
  Town—Embarkation in the Steamer for Marseilles—Entrance into the
  Mediterranean—Picturesque Approach to Marseilles—Arrival in the
  Harbour—Description of Marseilles—Observations upon the Journey
  through France by Ladies

* * * * *

CHAPTER III.

MARSEILLES TO ALEXANDRIA.

  Vexations at the Custom-house—Embarkation on the Malta
  Steamer—Difficulties of exit from the Harbour—Storm—Disagreeable
  Motion of the Steam-vessel—Passengers—Arrival at Malta—Description
  of the City—Vehicles—Dress of the Maltese Women—State of
  Society—Church of St. John—The Palace—The Cemetery of the Capuchin
  Convent—Intolerance of the Roman Catholic Priesthood—Shops,
  Cafés, and Hotels—Manufactures and Products of Malta—Heat of
  the Island—Embarkation on board an English Government
  Steamer—Passengers—A young Egyptian—Arrival at Alexandria—Turkish
  and Egyptian Fleets—Aspect of the City from the Sea—Landing

* * * * *

CHAPTER IV.

ALEXANDRIA TO BOULAK.

Description of Alexandria—Hotels—Houses—Streets—Frank Shops—Cafés—Equipages—Arrangements for the Journey to Suez—Pompey's Pillar—Turkish and Arab Burial-grounds—Preparations for the Journey to Cairo—Embarkation on the Canal—Bad accommodation in the Boat—Banks of the Canal—Varieties of Costume in Egypt—Collision during the night—Atfee—Its wretched appearance—The Pasha—Exchange of Boats—Disappointment at the Nile—Scarcity of Trees—Manners of the Boatmen—Aspect of the Villages—The Marquess of Waterford—The Mughreebee Magician—First sight of the Pyramids—Arrival at Boulak, the Port of Cairo

* * * * *

CHAPTER V.

CAIRO.

Arrival at Boulak—Description of the place—Moolid, or Religious Fair—Surprise of the People—The Hotel at Cairo—Description of the City—The Citadel—View from thence—The City—The Shops—The Streets—The interior of the Pasha's Palace—Pictures—Furniture—Military Band—Affray between a Man and Woman—Indifference of the Police to Street Broils—Natives beaten by Englishmen—Visit to an English Antiquary—By-ways of the City—Interior of the Houses—Nubian Slave-market—Gypsies—Preparation for Departure to Suez—Mode of driving in the Streets of Cairo—Leave the City—The Changes in travelling in Egypt—Attractions of Cairo

* * * * *

CHAPTER VI.

THE DESERT.

Equipage for crossing the Desert—Donkey-chairs—Sense of calmness and tranquillity on entering the Desert—Nothing dismal in its aspect—The Travellers' Bungalow—Inconvenient construction of these buildings—Kafila of the Governor of Jiddah and his Lady—Their Equipage—Bedouins—Impositions practised on Travellers—Desert Travelling not disagreeable—Report of the sailing of the Steamer—Frequency of false reports—Ease with which an infant of the party bore the journey—A wheeled carriage crossing the Desert—Parties of Passengers from Suez encountered—One of Mr. Hill's tilted Caravans—Difficulty of procuring water at the Travellers' Bungalow—A night in the Desert—Magnificent sunrise—First sight of the Red Sea and the Town of Suez—Miserable appearance of the latter—Engagement of a Passage to Bombay

* * * * *

CHAPTER VII.

SUEZ TO ADEN.

Travellers assembling at Suez—Remarks on the Pasha's Government—Embarkation on the Steamer—Miserable accommodation in the Berenice, and awkwardness of the attendants—Government Ships not adapted to carry Passengers—Cause of the miserable state of the Red Sea Steamers—Shores of the Red Sea—Arrival at Mocha—Its appearance from the Sea—Arrival at Aden—Its wild and rocky appearance on landing—Cape Aden—The Town—Singular appearance of the Houses—The Garrison expecting an attack by the Arabs—Discontent of the Servants of Europeans at Aden—Complaints by Anglo-Indians against Servants—Causes—Little to interest Europeans in Aden

* * * * *

CHAPTER VIII.

ADEN.

Commanding situation of Aden—Its importance in former times—But few remains of its grandeur—Its facilities as a retreat for the piratical hordes of the Desert—The loss of its trade followed by reduction of the population—Speculations as to the probability of ultimately resisting the Arabs—Exaggerated notions entertained by the Shiekhs of the wealth of