Sinnar. And, lastly, we heard that both our dog-companions, Juno
and Paiji, had died of some canine epidemic.

The next day ended our halt at Suez, with visits to slop-shops
and a general discussion of choppes. The old hotel, under the
charge of Mr. and Mrs. Adams, had greatly improved by the
"elimination" of the offensive Hindi element; and my old friends
of a quarter-century's standing received me with all their wonted
heartiness. Sa'id Bey was still a Bey, but none the less jovial
and genial; Captain Ali Bey, who had commanded the Sinnar, was
now acting commodore; and my only regret was having again missed
Colonel Gordon (Pasha).

April 22nd convinced us that, even in these prosaic regions, our
misadventures and accidents had not reached their fated end. A
special train had been organized by Hanafi Effendi for eight a.m.
About ten miles from Suez one of the third-class carriages began
"running hot;" and, before we could dismount, the axle-box of a
truck became a young Vesuvius in the matter of vomiting smoke. I
ordered the driver, who was driving furiously, to make half
speed; but even with this precaution there were sundry stoppages;
and at the Naffishah station, where my Bolognese acquaintances
still throve, we could not be supplied with a change of
"rolling-stock." About Tell el-Kabir, the brake-van also waxed
unsafely warm; but it reached Zagazig without developing more
caloric. Briefly, we caught fire three times in one morning.

These accidents must always be expected, where spare carriages
are placed for months upon sidings to become tinder in the sun;
and where the cracks and crevices of the woodwork fill up with