Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1842-09-01

lite, instead OF the stagnant water IRON
the brackish springs and pools of the de-
sert, that the old Prophet would have
held on to existence somewhat longer
| than he did.
In our Journey through the desert, we
carried a supply of the Nile water; and
when we arrived at Mount Sinai, we had
several gallons of it left IN barrel.
which was then as pure and delicious as
when we left Cairo, If not more-so; white
the water that we iIIed our goat skins and
| barrel with at aIount Sinai, though pure,
cold. and delightful to the taste when we
set out for Akaba, soon changed, and
that in the skins, after two or three days,
was not fit TO drink.
A supply q. the Nile water far the use
of the Gland Seignior, is Included among
| the yearly contributions Of the Pacha Of
Egypt to the Sultan of Turkey. The
Nile water is generally distributed about
the streets of Cairo and Alexandria by
water-carriers, from goat skins, brought
from the river on the backs of camels or
! donkeys, though some of these s.ckekas.
as they are called, being too poor to own
these useful animals, bring their goat
skins full from the Nile on their backs.
in which case they generally do business
in small way. ard distribute water to
! persons to drink. in the streets. Their
usual cry is, 90, may God compensat e
me !" They hold cup IN one hand and
| the mouth of the wster-skin in the other ;
and while their customers are drinking,
they keep up an invitation to the thirsty,
to come and partake of their water.
Water carl aers are numerous on all
festive occasions, and during great religi-
Gus ceremonies. Some are hired by the
more conscientious and faithful. TO distii-
butte water gratis on religious Fetes, to
all who desire to drink. This charity is
generally performed in honor of some
Saint, and the carrier, as he raises the
welcome cry 10 the thirsty. of water,
without money and without price, - in
vokes The blessing of heaven upon the
soul of his employer. who thus freely
quenches The thirst Of fanting being.
None can appreciate the worth OF this
wholesome and delightful beverage 50
we'll as person Of the tlesert-one.who
has travelled ia the barning heat Of those
arid regions for days, without fresh wa
ter, aad perhaps without water 'ed any
Kind. !:
The people oftlts Eastern countries
have always been. more or less frequent
! ", in their intercourse with distant parts,
exposed to prlvas'ons of this kinda cir
cumstance which must have given addi-
tional force to the invitation Of our Saw
our: 'ln the last day, that great day of
the feast, Jesus stood and cried: | any
man thirst, let him come unto me and
drink. lie that belieyelh on me. as the
Scripture hath said out Of his belly shall
flow rivers of living water.''F And also the
words of the prophet: Ho, every one
that .hirsteh come We to the waters. and
lie that hath no money; come We, buy,
and eats yea. come. buy wine and mllk,
Without money and without price, And
again the following: =" For the Lord thy
God bringeth thee into good land, a
land OF brooks of water, of fnunt Tins
and depths that spring out of valleys and
I'hilis.'' Among the bitter accusations
brought against job, by his friends. in
She days OF his affection, ElphaZ says 1:
Thou hast not given wltes 10 the weary
to drink, and thou hast withhol.len bread
from the hungry.''R But the Scriptures
are full of illustrations of this kind and
in no country perhaps in the world. could
the idea OF aCater embe,natically used.
have such tnrce and nearing, as in
the land ofthe Bible and Of the Prophets.
! When God wished to make moral ias-
preston upon the murmu:ing lsrae'tes.
he commanded Moses to bring water
from the rocks 't
The peasant-women are the water car
riers for their own family uses in the
East, particularly Egypt. They come
down from the villages along the Nile,
in great numbers, generally toward even
! ing, and wade into the river few steps.
dip their water pots, anJ bear them of
upon their heads to their houses.
! Ga these occasions, especially toward
evening, j always observed that they
wore greater profusIon of trinkets and
rude jewelry than ordinarily I; though it
| is the custom OF the Eastern women. a.
mong the lower classes, to carry their
fortunes upon their backs, head, faces and
lhznds.
The masks which the Turkish and
Arab women generally wear. are frenn-
emily covered with little gold pieces OF
money, from their eyes down to consi-
derabie distance below the chin. This
Of course depends upon the riches of the
wearer; and some can only afford to
wear silver pieces, and very few of them,
while others none at all. This is kind
of sign hung out toindicate the flourish
inc condition Of the person making the
display; though when occasion requires,
these bits Of money are taken Of, and cir
culated in.tlie market1as readily as other
coins, that have never been SO disting-
U shed. The consequence is that most Of
the small gold and silver coins of the
East are pierced with holes. that have
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