CHAPTER II.
SUAKIN.
(Lat. 19° 17′ N., Long. 37° 20′ E.)
There are three different passages through the reefs leading to Suakin. The northern passage is the shortest route for vessels coming from Suez, but It is the most dangerous of the three, and ninety miles in length. The southern passage is of course the most direct route for vessels from India, and is somewhat shorter, being only sixty miles long. The easiest and shortest in point of mere distance is the middle passage, thirty miles long, and running almost due east and west. It was by this last-named passage that we entered, our captain being, like most other people, strange to the place. It was a very hot morning, and the air was thick with a hot haze, so that we did not sight the land until we were getting quite close to it. Then
