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Chapter 4. The Red Sea

           ThiscanalansweredallcommercialpurposestotheageofAntonius,whenitwasabandonedandblockedupwithsand.RestoredbyorderoftheCaliphOmar,itwasdefinitelydestroyedin761or762byCaliphAl-Mansor,whowishedtopreventthearrivalofprovisionstoMohammed-ben-Abdallah,whohadrevoltedagainsthim.DuringtheexpeditionintoEgypt,yourGeneralBonapartediscoveredtracesoftheworksintheDesertofSuez;and,surprisedbythetide,henearlyperishedbeforeregainingHadjaroth,attheveryplacewhereMoseshadencampedthreethousandyearsbeforehim."

           "Well,Captain,whattheancientsdarednotundertake,thisjunctionbetweenthetwoseas,whichwillshortentheroadfromCadiztoIndia,M.Lessepshassucceededindoing;andbeforelonghewillhavechangedAfricaintoanimmenseisland."

           "Yes,M.Aronnax;youhavetherighttobeproudofyourcountryman.Suchamanbringsmorehonourtoanationthangreatcaptains.Hebegan,likesomanyothers,withdisgustandrebuffs;buthehastriumphed,forhehasthegeniusofwill.Anditissadtothinkthataworklikethat,whichoughttohavebeenaninternationalworkandwhichwouldhavesufficedtomakeareignillustrious,shouldhavesucceededbytheenergyofoneman.AllhonourtoM.Lesseps!"

           "Yes!honourtothegreatcitizen,"Ireplied,surprisedbythemannerinwhichCaptainNemohadjustspoken.

           "Unfortunately,"hecontinued,"IcannottakeyouthroughtheSuezCanal;butyouwillbeabletoseethelongjettyofPortSaidafterto-morrow,whenweshallbeintheMediterranean."

           "TheMediterranean!"Iexclaimed.

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