On the Indian Hills

AT the sandy town of Suez our good ship did not stop for even a moment, but slackened speed just enough to permit a little snorting and puffing steam launch, with the agent and our letters, to overtake us, and then, steaming out of the Canal, picked our way amongst the dredgers, the broken-down coasting ships, etc., which were the only occupants of the docks, and finally emerged into the Red Sea. The only visible reason why it should be called Red is that, on the Egyptian side, there rises a long range of fine sandstone hills of a warm pink hue, running all along the coast. As for the sea itself, it is, of course, as blue as the heaven above it, and no more of a ruddy tint anywhere than the Black Sea is inky or the White Sea milky. The opposite shore to Suez lies as flat as a billiard-table for about twenty miles all round. The guide-books say that somewhere on it may be seen a well overshadowed by trees, this being the spot where Moses rested after crossing the sea with the children of Israel. But in fact, twenty or more places in the Gulf of Suez are pointed out as the true spots at which the Hebrew Lawgiver crossed; the most favored one being about thirty miles south of Suez, where there is a good landing-place on both sides -- a great cleft in the cliffs, with a sand "shoot" leading down into the water.

So few ships now pass round the West Coast of Africa and cross the equator that the time-honored custom of receiving a visit from Neptune is occasionally moved by common consent round to the head of the Red Sea, where his majesty now ofttimes holds his court, and comes on board outward-bound ships to pay his respects and shave those passengers who have never been through the Canal before. In the evening, after leaving Suez, we were invaded by a crowd of finny monsters, with a fishy old gentleman at their head, whose disguise could not hide the countenance of the jovial ship's doctor; while his majesty's barber, with a bucket of soapsuds and a chopper for a razor, was well played by the under steward. Besides a crowd of courtiers, there were sepoys with handcuffs for the unruly; but the "griffins" came up as their names were called, and took their shaving very quietly, while the barber cracked innumerable jokes at their expense. The young ladies were also called up to be shaved, but, as the barber said, "Beards are like ideas -- men only have them when they grow up, and women never have any;" so as there was nothing to shave, they were allowed to shake hands with Neptune and hasten away; after which we had some dancing, in which the courtiers were continually tripping over each other's tails, and then fireworks were let off from the stern, during which performance the king and his retinue retired, a final blue light, sent adrift in a tube which went bobbing astern, being pointed out to the youngest of the passengers as "Davy Jones's" private gig taking him away. With this imposing ceremony ended our passage through the Great Ditch.

The next day was Sunday, and we had church on deck under the saloon awning, the grey-headed captain reading the service from a desk covered with the dear flag of our country, and Mount Sinai away to the left soaring rosy and bright in the hot sunlight, while the fresh waves were running bubbling by the port-holes.

Afterwards there was fire drill, which alarmed those of the ladies who did not know it was only a make-believe. We were just dispersing after the final hymn had ended, when the fire-bell was heard ringing loudly -- that sound so dreaded by sailors. Of course, there was a rush forward to see what was the matter, and we found the native crew cutting wildly about, chattering and gesticulating like monkeys. In about a minute, or less, the brass caps were screwed off the two steam-pumps, and twenty yards of tubing fixed to each, down which the water quickly made its way, throwing up little jets from every defective seam as the pressure increased, until it came to the far end by the saloon, where a lascar was holding the nozzle overboard, or we should have been swamped. At the same time two hand-pumps were fixed on either side of the ship forward, with plenty of tubing running to the main hatch and second-class cabin, and heavy leathern pipes with perforated leaden muzzles were trailed overboard for obtaining a plentiful supply of water. Every one seemed to know his duty. The whole