It Was Supposed
Either That He Expected A Large Present In The Event Of Succeeding,
Or That He Was Striving By All Means To Trace The Property, In
Order That He Might Lay His Hands On It After My Departure.
I went out sailing for some hours, and when I returned I was
horrified to find that two men
Had been bastinadoed by order of the
Governor, with a view to force them to a confession of their theft.
It appeared, however, that there really was good ground for
supposing them guilty, since one of the holsters was actually found
in their possession. It was said too (but I could hardly believe
it), that whilst one of the men was undergoing the bastinado, his
comrade was overheard encouraging him to bear the torment without
peaching. Both men, if they had the secret, were resolute in
keeping it, and were sent back to their dungeon. I of course took
care that there should be no repetition of the torture, at least so
long as I remained at Suez.
The Governor was a thorough Oriental, and until a comparatively
recent period had shared in the old Mahometan feeling of contempt
for Europeans. It happened however, one day that an English gun-
brig had appeared off Suez, and sent her boats ashore to take in
fresh water. Now fresh water at Suez is a somewhat scarce and
precious commodity: it is kept in tanks, the chief of which is at
some distance from the place.
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