FROM CAIRO TO ROTORUA.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 745, 18 February 1910, Page 5

FROM CAIRO TO ROTORUA.

i - [By EEV. FbEDEMCK'StuTIBS J' •From Cairo?to' Port-Said ; is about 130 miles, and the train runs, nearly .rail, the way throughvthe.d.esert.'.i.On.. either side, as-far as the.eye can reach; there is.as a rule , nothing .but sand. I say, as ,a rule, because there, arc; of; course,.occasional small towns and.villages at.which the. train, stops, 'usually; consisting; of. a number, pf rude 'native' huts, ;with : a few date, palms .viand " ; -, vegetable'-■•gardens. Near.. tho.'Nile -there, are.:also,cultivated fields':of... rice, maize, ■• etc.: ; ..But nearly, all ,tha..]and .is,-pur'e yellow sand, ■'- which as,the-.:train-rushes by,.make's the journey :yery- unpleasant,.' especially '.'when I,'ho, wind is blowing.:' There is only one •piecp' of in- the',world' that. I. have, found •worse, and, that'; is the line between Auckland -and Kotorua, and 'in tholattcr-'case, there is far less: excuse, for' it-would v be .unjust ■ and (absurd -to Waikato "a 'desert. Tlio". carriages on ■the. Egyptian :liu'e are- of ~tho birdrcagc! description';, ;what travelling in Egypt "would .bo like-if \ they-, had long 'corridor 'cars'as .in 'New. Zealand 'may:be imagined. .J.ln;a:'corridor.;train'the doors are ;be'ing .con'staiifly opened 'by \: perambulating- passengers,- and'there is/a'clear draught'through the'whole.length-'of the '.car, so; that, one is covered, with .dust.-'.For: comfort; especially.' on a-'diisty . road, .1 havq no: hesitation' in saying ;that ..closed carriages such-as, those used-in England arid .'.Australia, seating four' or .five : on either - side,' .'arp ' decidedly' preferable. In adopting';:th'e..vJaniee pattern^'.wo•:have, made, : a.great mistake. -•;-The- draught is of ten'intolerable, and the constant passagb down..the.middle makes; a'cbmfortablo'attitudo on■; the t part-;bf; passengers,impossible.' ; Let. any■ inale' passenger.-cross his logs "and he'/will soon be-convinced.;..' - ~

i'r:.-;.':' ; . ■■ r :';,-.'.;•:.': ",!pbßT;vSAlip'.-":/;.;.', ;.'.";■; : :'J "•';• 'Afy< length' ::we '-reablied-' .Port- .Said; where.;.l: put'; ,up : fat;, thVi.-best...- hotel in .tlie'- town, but;.'.though:,;.there, >ere; plenty .pf'Arab, servants/blocking.;abput;. .it;.yas..most;:difflcult; to -get any' attention.,-; ,:'Whatever..'ybu.-. wanted .done was almost,always the .worklofsbme,man who ; was (absent.: ;,\Thq -union"..'rules: seem ■•■to' be;,penetrating; even; Africa,,-,and -the man whose, duty,it.-is.to;■ relieve-you of-,your bag .would "never', think" of •.carrying", it f 6r,,, you... or; , you .the bedroom.,; One man, '. one job!, "I Notwitli- ; standing, therefore,;.'the; number of: servants . it. ;was ..difficult to obtain-any- ser-' vice,.,;and:;..l-m. was;'-';.qn.ito..-glad..;, that' .my. stay-;was/ confined, to ■'■'&. single "night. Port .Said■' has'.-, a. .very,.bad.. reputation .amongst ' travellers. '- It is a straggling, ii.de'ous'townibf, some 35,000; inhabitants, notjiover;.clean; either materially.;or.mo'rally,':th6ugh;,ih...bdth these .-respectsjit':'is. :better';thanVit. was- a"fo.w ; ;years' ago..''At •the same-time;it,.is notarise for, a visitor, •tp;;wander'Mahout ~at ,vjt •lies'*.at.; theVentrance; to the Suez .'Canal,. and:is, : a busy;po'rt';;all'tie-great steamers bound.: to ~or from; the. ; East'call, here-'to •coal, 1 -:" take ;■ in water, -■; etc. 'l. The ■• Canal officesvar'e .here;'-and-also: tho statue:of;.'a.;-deservcdly.-famous man, ! de 'Lcsseps.V'" ■:'.)'■'■: ;.•:,";: .'.-' :,:.'•",,:. ■•.' ...■'-,.•.

;:^r; : ;:POKTySAipy : TO.VSYDNET:;-' ; k ; ';.i>6m.;'P,ort..Said-'to; Sydney^..'travelled by;; the: Orient ylirier. •■."Orsbvo,'',' a - maghi--•ficorit:;vesiel •,'0f. i :12,500' tons, riot quito'equal to ;hor : . sister., ship;' ~'the:.:"Otranto,"'. onrane'a'u,; but-stiUVa.,splendid vessel, well' mari'aged.y arid imamied."..:lhe'•' food in; the. .secondfclass" .was.'at'.;least-' eq'ual to. that, .of; 'the 'Zealand first' .'and the', servicb .'and' cabiri''accommodation;, excellcrit;. •; .The. only.'inferfority of -mosspnt,' as; ;.coin'pared,; with'- the/.:','Qtranto,". is. ~in regard'-tp' the ' : space,:, which doe's'not allow; access" to;either-'end' °.'''Jft? vessel,, ;arid so', : prevents' the -passengers :,sebihg.'either;fore;of aft.'lt also' impedes.;'..the,;, 'cool,: refreshing;, draught, which \ono on.: most. vessels, .and I ,'strongly advise -tho'j Orient Company' to ,'lbandpn' tho present, dock arrangement. Still,' notwithstanding this/drawback, the vessel'^'most comfortable;" andVtliq age, fully "confirmed a 'previous'published .opinion' of,'mine, that Vfor'.British people" the lines- are ,thp';best. ', ' ', ■' '

'; ,o;;''t;' ;;^SUEZ-,CA.rUt x ,;-':'': ; i The : .a 'wonderful, achievement, :,9Q.-,miles ■long.'f.w'ith -an.'-average' width'; of, aboutUOU feet;-.! Oneither side,'as far ,as; the.'eyeican-.reach/ is' a' sandy desert,, hot: and .-glistening .and very trying to.Roue's; visual- organs. --Here, - and* there .along the banks may; be seen men and; camels; working,, widenihgitho-canal, whilst;, boys; ..with- little clothing-' oh, their brown.-bodies, '.run', along', by 'the Chip's' side .loudly,- calling',for..backsheesh.l passengers,-am use themselves by ■'■ throwing pennies' and oranges-to' themamidst much'laugh(er-/and.good- humour. The ■fellaheen-.of the'desert-'-impress- one with the conviction/that,dry. heat-is:',not,un-favourable: to, the growth, of /muscle;- But the ,heat is- trying/to many European's, ™V V o ™' officers;.,and';passengers were glad'■.to,; don, light;, clothes.-.The''ladies', seemed :,to ..know just what ..to put oh, and their, 'whjto ..costumes /looked .both' cool ...and,'--.becoming;.'.' but.'unany.-of.'■ the men /wore,,- strange/garments, / coloured blazers- and marvellous, Hats'.-' 'Whilst wo wore in the; canal.a'little/excitement was caused. ~;by,'; - ;th6 • huge. c ship.v running aground.,, This, is/by-ho .-means'-an,.un- ■ common.,-thing;.- .and-;-,we',' amused---;-'our-' selves-.with/speculations' as-;to how: long' .we',-might.,.hp.veto,remain.ithere; but-our •™ii.:.sprews .churned i the', water-mightily, and.at lengthihe/niu'd' which .was at'the bottom. of •; the. canal: seemed ito i be'- washed away,..and/we floate&'out-into 'the'stream' once -inbre.'-/',!'t,- ; /,-,'- ; ~. .OV-/-,:•."",,:;:::■:;,-■

that-Atouohed me 'in f the-.canal,-was:, thei-r-eligious- earnestness oj.;;aii,i Arab:...who. accbiupanied us ■' from ron baid-to Sucz.'/.-As-tflesuii began to smk ; ;in -.thp-:-.-west, -he- brought a- little square of. carpet, and fell-upon hisknessj nis. lips' began-;-to::move: in- prayer;' lie b'owed.his head agam;an\l again' until historehoad toucned the deck. A number of-us wore watching; him, but; ho seemed to care little was man to himiwhen {■». was .,ia,' thp; presence of' his' God ? 'At m -'''» a • ' * taJl<lin ? "up and gazing- upon the -fast,disappearing ■■ orb' ■ with' devotioni ho) folded 'up his -.qarpet' and' walked: away.'' How many Christians - are,.'-there' ?that W-ould- have the. courage' to 'express their religious sentiments .in so'public a"man ner?.,However'imperfect :Ms' creed,"the Mohammedan is' at -least'.not ashamed of talked.with;, the -man, later ion, ..and found him.a very.pleasant and interesting fellow. ' Hewa's 'a:.Hadji, that'is; a holy: man-who 'had ;mado'; the/pilgrimage 'to Mecca: "Such men are exceedingly .punctilious' in . their: observance; of. religions rites, and.Vare treated 'with 'peculiar - re-.: spect'„by. the faithful:'., ,':.'..' ; , ; :.,,:-. '.-.,-,.;

Presentlj- '.we.-ca'mo'/td Ismalia,.the.towri founded, by the' Khedive; Ismael to perpetuate his.'narfle arid,,fa'nie,' but it', has failed- to' become either great, or beautiful; Isnialia' was. the' base.' of .Lord-' Wolselev's" campaign in 1882,- arid';at that' time ,20,000 men ..were in. the town) ;whi!st' and ''huge transport's.'"crowded the cariaj. At leugthjwe.enter;the Gulf' of Suez.'and are','ait' sea' once. mofe. ; 'Tho,.''water. here is of- : a most beautiful -colour. ...We'-pass the Zenobia .Lighthouse on : the' Newport Hock and .come; to Abu .Darraj,..: where.,;the Israelite'; are..supposed to ' have crossed over. I ; cannot;'.truthfully? say- that wo saw-{.any .'remains','of PharbahV chariots,; but : they; may- be i there .nevertheless.:., AVe saw^quifeclearly,: however., the.peaks-of Siiiaii. the'-inountain;.;where-,;,the"law' was given >to'- Israeli .'.Then -we/passed into' the Red, Sea. and .lost;sight. .of ■ land. Here the increased \ : considerably and;the'--water;became..quite warnv.-Some of ■. the' ladies .seemed ;to; suffer,- ( from the heat; arid;some 'of.'the 'nien-iria'do: it.:anexcuse;'for'- drinking,;-.but.,.1 cannot,say th'at ; ,l ; found, it':at all' distressing.' If .one wears/proper clothing,.;abjures-, alcohol; &nd..rbfrains-from/too -stimulating; a-.diot, no; inconvenience will-he;felt,■;. ?,>

;■■ y-'A.::. CnEE";FdR;;SEA^SiCE;NESS..' ';'V •-■We,.are .adniirably.ifcd '■■■ on .'the. Orsbva] and, I -,am:,thankful .to.': say, I; was .able't'p take; ; a'n;:irite'lligent interest ;iri ; ' the!.edible*. ~At each; '.there : .is a' great virioty of- dishes/'so'''b'n"o'ihas : pleityj-of ohoioe.- ;--At- one i tirne: li-used to.-.snffer torments <■ ;.f ro'mV.v sca-siclcrie'ss;,-.' ; until '■ \ I loariit::- how. Jto.:defend-- myself.: against' it;. I;.o'vfe;;my' present: immunity'tb .a>frieridly, steward;, -I used,-toilie.miserably:, about the :deck,':-uritil-'one.'day.,tho steward said to me:v"Go:don-ri;and'get:igpod dinner.' sir,; that's the best criro'for: seasickness."

"But,". I. replied, "I'could .not'.keep it down;'it : would,, all ' come up again." '■'Never..-mind Jf.it doesi" 'rejoined ..he, "throw it overboard, '■. and . then. go down and get tome .more; ■ tuaf s' the way. to stay, the..stomach; give it. something to keep, it .quiet:" I, rried.:his, prescription, and, as 1. anticipated, soon had'to.run up the stiirca'se,and discharge cargo. But; I went dov;n again;. after one' or two attempts, got. some food to-remain down--scoirs; and tho .-victory- was' won. Now, when-1 feel sick; I- always eat;a good meal, of .plain food .and soon feel .comfortable : again., : It .may: be feme conio-c----tion ..to.. those. who; suffer "to know that even royallyis riot.immune. As early as the thirteenth century,-Solomon Atiiield was gr.-.uted'londs at.Keppertou and A<tertomne'ar Dover,.-on condition "liiat 1 so- 'often.' as tho King should 'be pleased to; cross, tho sea,'the said Solomon or his heirs should :be -obliged-to :go. with him to hold his Majesty's head if ho should' be sea-sick."',.' From the.'notional records it would appear that, this office of- head:holding!was last performed in the.'reign of Edward I;' but' Hasted, tho historian, says .that in the reign'of Eenry-VI John Baker'.held the hinds of Coperla'nd and Attertonxou the same service.:!;wonder who Avill- have .the privilege-of holding. . poof 'King' Edward's head- when; he crosses.the Channel for Biarritz in-Maroh? LetUS hope he-v;ill .not nced.it. At ; all .events, prevention' is better.than, cure, and I commend my prophylactic, not only to'.'his Majesty, but "to all; bis Majesty's :loyal'-'subjects';.;who a'ro'fortunato enough to 'be.'readers' .of this' journal. '.''•'-,'.".■ ■ > ■': Divine "service', was hold ori'board every. 'Sunday.'' There;were■ two '.Anglican.' clergj-men--withy uSj'; as, as ;a'Presbytariah missionary.. At tho request .of. the passengers,- I also officiated .once each, day.;..' The "services were always: well attended and: seemed'. to l.be much appreciated. The only, thing that marred our enjoyment .'of' them ,was; the; strong ■ objection -of.."one .clergyman'.-to ; anyone.-hoid--ing-service: except himself... :In- order 'to enforce,his,peculiar..views, he took tho hymn .books away and' stored, them up ;in his' oivri;,cabin. . But,. : fortunately;this difficulty, was got oyer, and-."services,'were held in .'each class, i But ■' .the , incident created a.: painful'impression,, not-at ell favourable ,f 6 the - Christian; Faith, and T. hope- clergymen: of .all; deriominations.will avoid such-, exhibitions,, of bigotry.- whilst, travelling.;::' :'■■;.'..,.;.:,. )■'■]'■:! .: ■':■■.'■' ,-.- ; .Y : ' V '■''' v.;';: ;THE > ;: : ' To myjmind.the'sail'.' through;.. the .Indian' Ocean [ js'i.onc yp'f the'; ful ; in": the' world. ,'■ Tho ; water is'.h'eafly, always smooth; the "weather .bright'and clear, the ,air. warm 'ahd,;balmy. ■ Soiiiothink' the';.."[--temperature'- too .'.warm,, and: tho 'thefiiionioter,- certainly.does keep, pretty ; high: >■ In. my. cabinet -did. not fall, below 85: for. nearly':' three., week's.: But it :is constant; there;are, rio rapid; falls .. iri .temperature ' involving,' colds' and sore throats,■; and, suitably' dressed,: one. can. sit .dud ' lie', about:.: the . deck, sheltered by ..tho wooden, roof ..from;-,, the ■sun's'.rays',,and feel ; perfectly ■ .comfort-; able. : Arid there'.is ■ always l ;, a- breeza; .sometimes.,it,.will' be 0ri...-.one. -side--of the -ship,, .soirietunes '-'-on, -the;!., other; but.you;.can. always 'find' it;somewhere. l In'r, ; the,'.;cabins.: and'; saloons . : there 'are ejectrio -fans ' which ;•,. keep. ' the Sair , iri. circulation,-, .arid :■- baths ..may..'-;be; had whenever: ono feels.:inclined. At.'eleven o'clock;, ices are served-on-deck,' urid'iced drinks -.may- be. had yat any time. Andso, :notwithstanding-.';ther high ' teiriperriture,: and' partly. .becauso ; 'of'it,: life : in. /the, ; . Indian Ocean '■ is, very .pleasant'; arid; on' board, such as.'thoOf-' sova' .and'. Otra'rito; y'even 'luiurious; -.We read and-talk ;and ■ play 'games'during tho day,:.and. at, night ther'e:'is' frequeritlyi : a . dance or. concert .on, deck. .ySometimes 'it ; is : .a', farioy',dress;-ball,' and '.this.:will be quite an elaborate affair,' ladies and -gehtleirien'ilressed'iip 'rri'rall sorts of -ariinsinj' costumes; •: :Oriev':geiitloman, ; -a -Pfi'mitiv.e Methodist, .preacher, was made', up fectly as,a stewardess that,:.much to"o'ir amusenierit, ho deceiv.ed'tho' very;crip,tairi,: Some'of lis do f .'not'dance;;.b'ut-everi-.we enjoy:, looking 'von ■ at; the': gay'' appreciate' .the -supper !■• - Nor -must -I: forgot;. 1 the' queer;; and r iuterestini;-.- fish ' one sees iri this part:of tho globe,- tho'riiillions of flying.fish, tho;leaping.porpoises that sometimes play abblit tho :v'ery ; bows of tho vessel, and-'tho occasional shark. 'It is-both .wouderful'.arid deli'ghtful to be able to sail thris : day after-day in.'cir-cumstances-of-so much; comfort,-with; io fear of disaster,' .watched over -day and night.'by. careful,'alert, brains.' ; ' ■'.'i '^ ; ;;- ; "'^CEYl6n.:''.;' : 'u;'i.;";'':

;; Of Ceylon, with its luxurian'-vegetation;' its' brilliant colouring,' its graceful .Native population/, its. bazaars and -'bargaining,its' gardens' and temples;-its .rickshaws and. conjurers, c' i: must '.not.' speak; now. These have - all been described again: and again, .and; may.'some . day .furnish: -a ■ separate, article by myself.' ; ,But.T -must not :omit to'- mention' the' sad part that iriteniperanoe i played during;! the /voyage'.' Some of our' passengers, I am sorry to say, made.a sorry ; exhibition', of i themselves//, whilst. ; at, JJreniantle,; a drunken nian"Jell',dowi'betwee'h.;.the steamer,and x wharf,.ifnd. ) w'as::so i 'injur.ed'that h'o.'had to bs'left'.behind,' whilst. at ; Sydney aship's fireman'met with' a v;askilled.;'The: : aay will come when there will lie' a; stricter, supervision on' ;.board our/floating hotels, and for the sake of all. parties it is,;very desirable. At Sydney' I transhipped; into, the.Wim'meray'and; after ; . the', roughest ;. passage ' I have .known, 'arrived home' in:'safety.. The trip down . the~. New,' Zealand 'coast .was delightful; and we' saw the,many 'beau-! tiful;'. islands .that' stud 'the:'. Auckland waters Under the most' perfect Conditions.'. Of .the : 'dreadful": journey,. between'/ Auckland ; and -Kotorua : I have already spoken. Something, I .'am sure, could . hie V done to make -it more-.'endurable,, probably/by adopting ,a: different class, of .'.carriage.'.' ,>I found,"the'town looking more than.'eye'ri aid 'looted 'forwar.dVwith touch pleasure to a.season of; rest and .'recreation ..before.,'taking!flight ; 6hce' more..'' .'.