It was late in the afternoon when they neared the shore, but not too late to distinctly note the character of the place. It was very much better built, and with more of an air of civilization about it, than other Eastern towns Tom had seen lately. The buildings were, some of them, of brick, with glass windows facing the outer world. In short, Bassorah gave evidence on its face of being a prosperous city.
"It is a great grain dépôt," one of the officers said to another. "Those high buildings are grain warehouses."
"Yes, and they are almost always well stocked with grain," Captain Fairweather remarked. "A perpetual contest is going on between the grain merchants and the rats in consequence. The warehouses are in a constant state of siege by the rats trying to get in. Every now and then the rats win the day. They undermine the foundations, and over goes a warehouse."
"How I wish they'd do it while we are here!" cried Tom, fervently.
"Perhaps they may," returned Tom's especial Lieutenant, in an encouraging tone.
The next morning Captain Fairweather made up a party, of which Tom was one, to visit the shore. He pulled to the creek leading to the town, and then embarked in a long narrow native boat. Tom inspected it curiously when he had taken his seat.
"They call this boat a bellem," said his father. "It is hewn out of a tree. Something like canoe-riding, isn't it?"
Two lithe, active Arabs shoved the bellem forward with long bamboos, which they thrust against the bottom or the banks of the creek--or perhaps I might better say canal.
When they left the bellem, one of the boatmen went with them as a guide through the town, and first of all through the bazars.
The bazars were well-built structures, vaulted over with brick. But they were dismally dark, being lighted only by very small windows at the top. A large trade in grain was in progress. They saw thousands of tons of wheat in open spaces, the heaps being covered over with mats.
"Do they only trade in grain here?" Tom asked.
"No, but the season for the grain trade comes first; then comes the wool trade, and later on the trade in dates. First one thing and then another."
As they walked out, Mr. Jollytarre said to the guide: "What dirty streets! Do you ever sweep them?"