The Return Voyage
Dec. 2nd
Carriage drive in morning through bazaars to mosque of Hassan and Citadel. Mosque exterior like a 7 story ... factory; inside, sq. open court with 4 massive and high arches - pretty good effect. It is old and out of repair.
Afternoon. Drive to Shoobra Palace, simply a large marble court with pool in centre and colonnade (internal) with a room or two in each corner. Garden in poor order. Other palaces of K. open when he goes away, and much larger and grander, I understand.
Miller very low and weak to-day, MacKenzie progressing slowly, none others serious; but ½ of remainder of party more or less ill.
Dec. 3rd
Morning: donkey drive to Old Cairo. Saw Coptic Church. Went across Nile to Isle of Rhoda. Saw mark of water at last flood and deposit of mud. Afternoon: drive to Heliopolis, and saw Virgin's grave.
Dec. 4
Left Cairo for Alexandria. Called on Fleming and Co and walked about town.
Dec. 5
Drove morning and evening: and saw P. pillar and C. needle. Wrote to Father and Georgie.
Dec. 6 Sunday.
Came on board 'Saturn'. Got under way abt. ½ 10.
Dec. 7
At breakfast an alarm of fire was raised by some women screaming; but, as they shouted in Italian, did not at first know was to do, and continued breakfast quietly. Found that the fire was in the fore hold; but fortunately was soon put out. As the cargo consisted of spirits of wine and cotton, doubtless the fire would have been a terrible affair had any of the spirit casks got stove in. The origin could not be discovered; but one of the spirit casks had leaked, and perhaps some spirit had ignited.
Dec. 8, 9, 10, 11
Continuation of voyage. Fine weather to Corfu, where we stopped 2 hrs but, after that, a headwind kept us back, and, giving the boat a sway, mixed us up some. I was not sick, and always turned up well at meals, but occasionally felt a slight attack of indigestion.
Time passed tolerably at little German (including conversation with two Brothers, who put up with my mistakes), reading, lounging, and Chess. Slept well each night, and, on getting into Adriatic, found it very cold. We saw the mountains of Dalmatia covered with snow. On last day of voyage noticed an optical illusion. Islands in the distance appeared to be lifted out of the water, and the water appeared under them and beyond them. The cause of it, I believe, owing to refraction of line of sight caused by the air being much colder than the intervening water.
Early morning of 12th we reached Trieste, and, through a mistake in the Guide Book, missed the train for Venice, it going at six, and we made for at seven. Did not grieve however, as it gave us an opportunity of seeing Trieste. It is a picturesque city lying in a snug harbour, and surrounded by steep, well wooded hills. The new part of the city is level, and the streets clean, and well paved with thick flags of wood. The shops are high and good looking, and altogether, I like the town. Horses are very little used: a couple of oxen are generally yoked together, and sometimes men pull along the carts, which are light waggons of primitive construction - just two long poles on the two bearers. The women are large and clean looking, also healthy and strong - a great pleasure to see them after two months of the poor Arab women. The day was wet and dull, so saw no sights except the Cathedral, a Byzantine erection - pretty old but has not extra - the streets and shops etc.
Left for Venice by steamer abt. 12 o;clock, preferring this to train.
(So we come to the end of the notebook. and of this account of G.J. Jun.'s memorable trip. On the last page half has been torn out, prestinmbly for the laundry list, of which the copy remains on the other half. viz: Hotel Belle Vue, Beyrout: 1 night shirt, 2 white shirts, 1 colored do. etc.)
G.J.IV, 23 July 1977
re-typed by N.S.C. 1989