第72部分(第3/7 頁)

end　we　crawled　into　Marseilles　at　three　knots　the　hour；　where　some　of　the　passengers　left　the　ship；　one　of　them　explaining；　for　the　fort　of　the　rest　of　us；　that　he　had　the　strongest　presentiments　that　she　was　going　to　sink。

Our　next　adventure　was　a　sandstorm　blowing　from　the　coast　of　Africa　which　turned　the　day　to　darkness　and　covered　the　decks　with　a　kind　of　mud。　Then　suddenly　the　vessel　was　put　about；　and　it　was　discovered　that　the　soundings　showed　that　we　were　unfortably　near　the　coast　of　Crete。　As　the　dear　old　captain；　who　had　been　much　cut　about　by　a　sea　that　knocked　him　down　on　the　bridge；　remarked；　“he　knew　what　was　behind　him　and　did　not　know　what　was　before”；　also　that　“where　he　had　once　been　he　could　go　again。”　Subsequently　our　fore　well…deck　filled　three　times　to　the　bulwarks；　shipping　seas　in　the　most　unaccountable　manner。

However；　we　came　to　Port　Said　at　length；　and　got　ashore　at　about　midnight　as　best　we　could。　Never　was　I　more　glad　to　find　myself　on　land　again。

I　enjoyed　that　trip　in　Egypt　very　much。　The　place　has　a　strange　fascination　for　me；　and　if　I　could　afford　it　I　would　go　there　every　year。　On　this　my　second　visit　we　went　as　far　as　the　wonderful　rock…temple　of　Abu　Simbel；　near　the　Second　Cataract　of　the　Nile。　Also　I　had　the　good　fortune　to　be　with　Mr。　Carter；　then　the　local　custodian　of　antiquities　at　Luxor；　when　we　visited　the　tomb　of　Queen　Nefer…tari；　which；　with　the　exception　of　the　discover；　who；　I　think；　was　Professor　Scaparelli；　we　were；　I　believe；　the　first　white　men　to　enter。

It　was　wonderful　to　see　those　paintings　of　her　late　Majesty　as　fresh　as　the　day　that　the　artist　left　them。　In　one　of　them；　I　remember；　she　is　represented　playing　chess。　The　tomb　had　been　robbed　a　couple　of　thousand　years　or　so　ago。　When　the　a