D O C . 3 7 9 T R A V E L D I A R Y O C T O B E R 1 9 2 2 2 9 9 starry sky with prominent Milky Way in mild air. Noon arrival Port Said. In morn- ing, conversation with [Ishii] and Japanese lawyer.[10] Both strongly European- ized—down to facial expressions. The former is very cautious and realistic. In the evening, conversation with exporter from Hamburg betw. 60 & 70, shrewd and level-headed. 13th. Midday, 15:00 hours, Port Said. Water green before the coast was visible. In the Mediterranean, deep blue. Long artificial dams with [irregular hewn blocks?]. Houses, as far as visible from the sea, European style. Picturesque Egyp- tian sailboat of the type In the harbor, a swarm of rowboats with screaming and gesticulating Levantines of every shade, who lunge for our ship. Deafening clamor, as if spewed from hell. The upper deck transformed into a bazaar, but nobody buys anything. Just a few pretty, athletic young fortunetellers are successful. Bandit-like filthy Levantines, handsome and graceful to look at. Sunset, sky locally and very intensively red- dened, as if flaming. On the facing side of walls and buildings, one of those garish colors often illustrated on tropical pictures. In the evening, conversation with Fren[ch] civil servant from Siam. Encounter with Japanese sister steamship. Nationalistic raptures by the crews. Japanese in love with their country and nation. 14th. Awakening during canal passage through desert, cool temperature.[11] Palms, camels. Piercing yellow color. Frequent views of immense surfaces of sand, intermittently broken by tufts of vegetation. Steamer encounter in canal. Wide des- ert landscapes. Green Bitter Lake.[12] Hilly shore in brilliant lighting. Wonderfully clear air. Then, last part of the Suez Canal. At mouth, city of Suez, villa quarter of the canal administrators very pretty. Homes with verandas and palms. Welcome sight after so much desert. Barren rocky mountains on either side. Forerunners of the Sinai Arabian small merchants sail up. They are handsome sons of the desert, full-grown, flashing black eyes, and better mannered than in Port Said. Gulf opens out after departure. Sun vanishes after 6 over the Egyptian desert mountains. Local reddish violet tint with magnificent relief silhouette of the Ütliberg-like mountain range.[13] Additionally, reddish yellow reflection in the east. Then, wonderful star-lit night. Never saw the Milky Way so fine. Spots with [p. 4] [p. 4v]