DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4669#0037
16 THE I.AX1) OF THE MONUMENTS
Desert, and buffaloes were browsing on the scanty
herbage near the shore. Buffaloes are ugly creatures ;
they are often seen indulging in a bath, with their
heads alone above water. They are generally lean.
Indeed, as they "come up out of the water" they
constantly remind us of the description in Gen. xli.
19—"poor and very ill-favoured and lean-fleshed." *
Buffaloes are chiefly used throughout the country for
draught purposes ; and the cows for their milk, which
we considered less palatable than that of ordinary
stock.
.After an early cup of coffee we set out to explore
the place, and were immediately besieged by donkey
boys. Each boy praised his own animal in broken
English, as—" Mine very good donkey, sir; him
Grand Old Man." "Have my donkey, very good
donkey ; Miss Langtry," &c, &c. The excitement of
these merry little fellows was most amusing, but as
the morning was fresh, the breeze cool, and we had a
railway journey of five hours to undertake, we decided
upon a good "constitutional" walk, much to the
surprise and disappointment of our clamorous assail-
ants. No Oriental ever thinks of walking if he can
possibly avoid it ; in fact, it is considered quite infra
dig to walk. A camel with handsome trappings was
also brought to us by its Arab attendant, in the hope
that we should take the first possible opportunity of
having a camel ride.
Ismailia is of very recent origin ; thirty years ago
it was simply desert. Its position was seen at once
to be most central and convenient for the residence
of M. de Lesseps and his staff of engineers and
officers engaged in superintending the excavation and
* Gen. xli. 3.
Desert, and buffaloes were browsing on the scanty
herbage near the shore. Buffaloes are ugly creatures ;
they are often seen indulging in a bath, with their
heads alone above water. They are generally lean.
Indeed, as they "come up out of the water" they
constantly remind us of the description in Gen. xli.
19—"poor and very ill-favoured and lean-fleshed." *
Buffaloes are chiefly used throughout the country for
draught purposes ; and the cows for their milk, which
we considered less palatable than that of ordinary
stock.
.After an early cup of coffee we set out to explore
the place, and were immediately besieged by donkey
boys. Each boy praised his own animal in broken
English, as—" Mine very good donkey, sir; him
Grand Old Man." "Have my donkey, very good
donkey ; Miss Langtry," &c, &c. The excitement of
these merry little fellows was most amusing, but as
the morning was fresh, the breeze cool, and we had a
railway journey of five hours to undertake, we decided
upon a good "constitutional" walk, much to the
surprise and disappointment of our clamorous assail-
ants. No Oriental ever thinks of walking if he can
possibly avoid it ; in fact, it is considered quite infra
dig to walk. A camel with handsome trappings was
also brought to us by its Arab attendant, in the hope
that we should take the first possible opportunity of
having a camel ride.
Ismailia is of very recent origin ; thirty years ago
it was simply desert. Its position was seen at once
to be most central and convenient for the residence
of M. de Lesseps and his staff of engineers and
officers engaged in superintending the excavation and
* Gen. xli. 3.