Some Of The Very Little
Children Turned Away In Horror From A White Face, But The Greater
Number Seemed Much Pleased With The Notice Taken Of Them.
While
waiting a few minutes for my party, my bearers wanted to drive them
away, but this I would not permit, and we carried on a very amicable
intercourse by signs, both being apparently mutually delighted
with each other.
Their vivacity and good-humour made a favourable
impression upon my mind, and I should like to have an opportunity
of becoming better acquainted with them, feeling strongly tempted to
proceed to Aden on my return to England in a sailing vessel, and await
there the arrival of a steamer to convey me up the Red Sea to Cosseir
or to Suez.
I was offered a present of a milch-goat at Aden, but not being able to
consult with the captain of the Berenice concerning its introduction
on board, I did not like to allow the poor creature to run any risk
of neglect. Its productiveness would soon have diminished on board a
steamer, and it was so useful in a place like Aden, that I could not
feel justified in taking it away for my own gratification. I obtained,
however, a bottle of milk, and when I got on board, having dined
early, and being moreover exhausted with my journey, as I was only
recovering from an attack of fever, I wished to have some tea. This
was too great an indulgence to be granted by the petty authorities
who ruled over the passengers. Unfortunately, upon leaving Suez, I
had given away all my tea to my servant, Mohammed, who was fond of it,
nothing doubting that I should be able to procure as much as I pleased
on board the steamer. The refusal was the more provoking, as there was
plenty of boiling water ready, and I had humbly limited my request to
a spoonful of tea. Under the circumstances, I was obliged to content
myself with milk and water: had the captain or the surgeon of the
vessel been at hand, I should doubtless have been supplied with every
thing I wanted, but in their absence, it was impossible to procure a
single article. Upon one occasion, while tea was serving, a passenger
in the saloon asked for a cup, and was told to go upon deck for it.
I also procured a supply of soda water at Aden. I had suffered much
from the want of this refreshing beverage during my fever, the supply
taken on board having been exhausted on the voyage up. The passengers
down the Red Sea have the disadvantage of sailing with exhausted
stores. It seems hardly fair to them, especially in cases of illness,
that the whole of any particular article should be given to the people
who embark at Bombay, they having a right to expect that, as they pay
the same price, a portion should be reserved for their use.
On the second day after our departure from Aden - that is, the 22nd
of October - we arrived at Makallah.
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