Page 63 - AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS

Around the World in 80 Days

him a glass of whiskey or pale ale in the steamer bar-room,
which Passepartout never failed to accept with graceful
alacrity, mentally pronouncing Fix the best of good
fellows.

Meanwhile the Mongolia was pushing forward rapidly;
on the 13th, Mocha, surrounded by its ruined walls
whereon date-trees were growing, was sighted, and on the
mountains beyond were espied vast coffee-fields.
Passepartout was ravished to behold this celebrated place,
and thought that, with its circular walls and dismantled
fort, it looked like an immense coffee-cup and saucer. The
following night they passed through the Strait of Bab-el-
Mandeb, which means in Arabic The Bridge of Tears, and
the next day they put in at Steamer Point, north-west of
Aden harbour, to take in coal. This matter of fuelling
steamers is a serious one at such distances from the coal-
mines; it costs the Peninsular Company some eight
hundred thousand pounds a year. In these distant seas, coal
is worth three or four pounds sterling a ton.
The Mongolia had still sixteen hundred and fifty miles
to traverse before reaching Bombay, and was obliged to
remain four hours at Steamer Point to coal up. But this
delay, as it was foreseen, did not affect Phileas Fogg’s
programme; besides, the Mongolia, instead of reaching

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