Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-01-01

for the dead, they had not forgot the
living, had placed here small reser-
voir Of water supplied by well; it was
built over at top, which kept it always
cool-Towards evening we saw the
minarets of Stout at a distance, very
welcome sight. The guide and owner
| of the asses was an Egyptian, and Ach-
med kept pace with them on foot; they
were the only property he had in the
world, he had lost his two children,
and their death had blasted all the poor
mans prospects of comfort. He burst
| into tears as he told his desolate state
with passionate expressions of sorrow
and it being sunset, he then repeated
his PRAYERS in a loud tone OF voice for
half an hour as he passed along the de-
sert.
On entering the city, the sudden
change of objects, from the deep soil
tude Of the way, to the loud sounds
and rapid movements Of the various
people in the streets, was most stri-
king. Arabs, Turks, Nubians, and
Albanians, almost impeded the pas
sage; the bazaar was crowded. My
conductor went to the house of Has
san, and Arab, and engaged rude
apartment. A repast in a Turkish
town is quickly procured. Dervish,
the young sailor Of the Cangia, went
| out and quickly brought me a supper
| of coffee, milk, bread, and roasted meat,
all excellent in their kind; the latter
consisted Of small pieces Of mutton
well seasoned, and placed on an iron
rod which is turned quickly round
| over the fire, and in few minutes they
are ready to be served up. 1t being
evening, the Muezzins were calling to
PRAYERS from the minarets. One OF
the mosques which looked into was
a very pretty one, the floor handsome
" carpeted and dimly lighted by a
small dome in the middle; for these
people imagine that partial and i'm
perfect light is favorable to religious
meditation. When it was dark, We
returned to the small apartment, where
a mat of reeds on the floor was my on
ly bed; but Dervish and Achmed slept
on the ground without, where the
moonlight was so bright as to make it
seem like day. Early in the night, |
was awakened by the sounds Of music
and singing in the street close by, where
every thing else was perfectly silent /;
they were extremely sweet, and passed
slowly by. Soon after day break, the
loud voice of Achmcd was heard in an
exclamation of praise to Allah we
quickly rose, and having breakfasted on
coffee and Turkish pancakes, prepared
in the streets at this early hour, we
proceeded on our way. Having left
the fertile environs of Stout, and en-
tered on a sandy tract, we came in a
few hours in sight Of large caravan,
that had halted in the desert it con-
sisted of Arabs from farther Egypt,
who were conveying number ofblack
slaves to Cairo to be sold. The tent of
the chief was distinguished by a piece
of blue cloth suspended from the top;
the other tents were pitched around
without any order: the camels were
turned loose on the sand, and the Arabs
were formed into groups, smoking and
conversing, whilst several Of the I'm.
fortunate blacks were wandering about,
or preparing their coarse meals. The
chief, thinking, no doubt, wanted to
purchase, conducted me with signi6-
cant gestures and smiles into large
tent, which was filled with a number of
half-naked young black women, DOOM
ed to find masters at Cairo. We soon
took leave Of the caravan, and on enter
ing again on an inhabited tract, met
with a party of villagers, men and
women, who were advancing in high
glee, and singing; the men seemed pre-
paringfor a bout at quarter-staf. Ach-
med's heart was cheered at the sight,
and, forgetting his griefs, he sprang in
amongst them, and gave and warded
of several blows with his long staff
with great agility. We came after
sunset to Monfalut, and rejoined the
Gangia. Nothing particular occurred
till we came to Radamotini, and hav-
ing procured asses, rode to the ruins
of the Temple of Hermopolis; the por-
tico only is standing, but its columns OF
fine free-stone exceed in circumference
any others in Egypt, being % feet
round and 60 high; but those ofKarnac
are much loftier.
Having spent pleasant day, we pas
sed over in boat in the cool of the
evening to the other shore of the Nile,
to visit the ruins Of Antinoe, built by
the Emperor Adrian. Few Of the col
umns are standing they are a granite,
and Of very slender form, being about
forty feet high, with Corinthian CAPT
tails. Proceeding on our voyage, we
landed, in order to visit the pyramids of
Saccara, some miles distant. The
great pyramid here is more difficult to
ascend than that of Gizen. The only