I therefore made inquiry as to the distance, danger, and expense of a journey to Suez on the Red Sea.

The distance was a thirty-six hours' journey, the danger was said to be nil, and the expense they estimated at about 250 piastres.
I therefore hired two strong camels, one for me, the other for my servant and the camel-driver, and took nothing with me in the way of provisions but bread, dates, a piece of roast meat, and hardboiled eggs.

Skins of water were hung at each side of the camels, for we had to take a supply which would last us the journey and during our return.
If we ride every day for twelve hours, this journey occupies six days, there and back.

But as I was unable to depart until the afternoon of the 26th, and was obliged to be in Alexandria at latest by the 30th, in order not to miss the steamer, I had only four days and a half to accomplish it in.

Thus this excursion was the most fatiguing I had ever undertaken.
At four in the afternoon I rode through the town-gate, where the camels were waiting for us; we mounted them and commenced our journey.
The desert begins at the town-gates, but for the first few miles we have a sight of some very fruitful country on the left, until at length we leave town and trees behind us, and with them all the verdure, and find ourselves surrounded on all sides by a sea of sand.
For the first four or five hours I was not ill-pleased with this mode of travelling.