Entering in Alexandria

“Having seated himself cross-legged on the gangway of the steamer, pipes and coffee were served, and he steered us through the intricate channel into the harbour of Alexandria. The usual scene of confusion now ensued. Scores of boats came round us, manned by half-naked negroes and Arabs. I was seized by half-a-dozen fellows at once, each endeavouring to drag me into his boat. A similar conflict was going on over every article of my baggage, and it was only by a vigorous application of the dragoman’s whip that I and my belongings were rescued from them and stowed away in one of the boats.
We only escaped from the hands of the boatmen to fall into those of the donkey-boys, who effectually dissipated whatever feelings of reverence yet remained. Donkey-boy at Alexandria These Arabs lads are surely the cleverest and most impudent little urchins on earth. Our city-Arabs cannot compare with them. In broken English they vaunt the praise of their animals, «Take my donkey; him berry good donkey: him name Billy Barlow». If the traveller be presumably an American, the soubriquet is changed to Yankee Doodle. One ingenious youth, whose only garment was a ragged cotton shirt, through which his tawny skin showed conspicuously, having tried Billy Barlow, Champagne Charley, and half-a-dozen names beside, made a final appeal by exclaiming, «Him name Rosher Tishburne»; him speak English; him say, «How you do, sar?» Is was impossible either to lose one’s temper of retain one’s gravity amid this merry, clamorous crowd. At length we extricated ourselves from them and made our way to the hotel.”

From Land of Pharaohs – Illustrated by Pen and Pencil
by Rev. Samuel Manning, 1875.

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Engravings from Land of Pharaohs - Illustrated by Pen and Pencil
by Rev. Samuel Manning
A selection of 140 plates from a classic cofee-table book of late eighteenth century: a basic account of the trip from Alexandria to Abu Simbel with a side trip to the Sinai by Rev. Samuel Manning (1822-1881). An eBook from Bookolica.com.