Book contents
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- Contents
- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
- GENERAL CHART SHOWING THE ‘SUNBEAM'S’ TRACK
- CHAPTER I FAREWELL TO OLD ENGLAND
- CHAPTER II MADEIRA, TENERIFFE, AND CAPE DE VERDE ISLANDS
- CHAPTER III PALMA TO RIO DE JANEIRO
- CHAPTER IV RIO DE JANEIRO
- CHAPTER V THE RIVER PLATE
- CHAPTER VI LIFE ON THE PAMPAS
- CHAPTER VII MORE ABOUT THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC
- CHAPTER VIII RIVER PLATE TO SANDY POINT, STRAITS OF MAGELLAN
- CHAPTER IX SANDY POINT TO LOTA BAY
- CHAPTER X CHILI
- CHAPTER XI SANTIAGO AND VALPARAISO
- CHAPTER XII VALPARAISO TO TAHITI
- CHAPTER XIII THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS
- CHAPTER XIV AT TAHITI
- CHAPTER XV TAHITI TO SANDWICH ISLANDS.—KILAUEA BY DAY AND BY NIGHT
- CHAPTER XVI HAWAIIAN SPORTS
- CHAPTER XVII HONOLULU—DEPARTURE FOR JAPAN
- CHAPTER XVIII HONOLULU TO YOKOHAMA
- CHAPTER XIX YOKOHAMA
- CHAPTER XX KIOTO, LATE MIACO
- CHAPTER XXI THE INLAND SEA
- CHAPTER XXII To CANTON UP THE PEARL RIVER
- CHAPTER XXIII FROM MACAO TO SINGAPORE
- CHAPTER XXIV SINGAPORE
- CHAPTER XXV CEYLON
- CHAPTER XXVI To ADEN
- CHAPTER XXVII VIA SUEZ CANAL
- CHAPTER XXVIII ‘HOME’
- APPENDIX
- LIST OF PERSONS ON BOARD THE YACHT
- Notes
- Plate section
CHAPTER XXVII - VIA SUEZ CANAL
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 November 2011
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- Contents
- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
- GENERAL CHART SHOWING THE ‘SUNBEAM'S’ TRACK
- CHAPTER I FAREWELL TO OLD ENGLAND
- CHAPTER II MADEIRA, TENERIFFE, AND CAPE DE VERDE ISLANDS
- CHAPTER III PALMA TO RIO DE JANEIRO
- CHAPTER IV RIO DE JANEIRO
- CHAPTER V THE RIVER PLATE
- CHAPTER VI LIFE ON THE PAMPAS
- CHAPTER VII MORE ABOUT THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC
- CHAPTER VIII RIVER PLATE TO SANDY POINT, STRAITS OF MAGELLAN
- CHAPTER IX SANDY POINT TO LOTA BAY
- CHAPTER X CHILI
- CHAPTER XI SANTIAGO AND VALPARAISO
- CHAPTER XII VALPARAISO TO TAHITI
- CHAPTER XIII THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS
- CHAPTER XIV AT TAHITI
- CHAPTER XV TAHITI TO SANDWICH ISLANDS.—KILAUEA BY DAY AND BY NIGHT
- CHAPTER XVI HAWAIIAN SPORTS
- CHAPTER XVII HONOLULU—DEPARTURE FOR JAPAN
- CHAPTER XVIII HONOLULU TO YOKOHAMA
- CHAPTER XIX YOKOHAMA
- CHAPTER XX KIOTO, LATE MIACO
- CHAPTER XXI THE INLAND SEA
- CHAPTER XXII To CANTON UP THE PEARL RIVER
- CHAPTER XXIII FROM MACAO TO SINGAPORE
- CHAPTER XXIV SINGAPORE
- CHAPTER XXV CEYLON
- CHAPTER XXVI To ADEN
- CHAPTER XXVII VIA SUEZ CANAL
- CHAPTER XXVIII ‘HOME’
- APPENDIX
- LIST OF PERSONS ON BOARD THE YACHT
- Notes
- Plate section
Summary
Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck; boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.
Tuesday, April 17th.—The breeze still continued and freshened, and we sailed along pleasantly before it, finding it a great relief to be rid of the thud and beat of the engine. There is no vibration, but the noise is unpleasant. About eleven o'clock we passed the island of Perim, a most desolate-looking place. I do not wonder that officers so much dislike being quartered there. It is an important position though, and is shortly to be strengthened, when water-tanks will be built, and attempts made to cultivate the soil. At present there does not appear to be a blade of vegetation, and on the side we passed, between the island and the coast of Arabia, nothing is to be seen but the little white lighthouse and the path leading up to it. On the southern side there is a very fair harbour and a moderate town. On the shore all round the island turtles are caught at the season when they land to deposit their eggs. To pass the island of Perim we sailed through the Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb, or ‘Gate of Tears,’ thus called on account of the numerous wrecks which took place there in former years. Once through the straits, we were fairly in the Red Sea. The colour of the Red Sea is certainly the bluest of ultramarines.
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- A Voyage in the 'Sunbeam'Our Home on the Ocean for Eleven Months, pp. 456 - 472Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010First published in: 1878