New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-04-03
FROM NETWORK TO NINEvEH

ABoU-HAMMED, IN SOUTHERN NUBIA,
Monday, Dec. %, 1851. (
After nine days hard travel on 4 iolting
dromedary, the dreaded desert is passed, and
have reached the frontier of Ethiopia. write
this, sitting in the shade behind my tent, (the
thermometer at 9Oo } with Achmet cooking lean
sheep in 'front.' the camels lying around, and the
Nile behind and on both sides OF me. When
turn my head to the right or left see his broad
blue current cleaning in the sun. Groups Of
Bisharees--tall, finely formed barbarians, the
Bedouins of the Nubian Desert-are standing at
q respectful distance, gazing upon me, for
Frank traveller is no usual sight here. Though
the southern terminus of the caravan route
across the Desert, Abou- Hammed is but small,
miserable village of mud huts, and you will
probably be at loss where to locate it. The
Nile, at Korosko, (Which is in Lat go 49, y makes
sharp bend to the west, and in ascending his
current, one travels in a south westerly direction
nearly to Dongola, thence south to Edabbe, in
Lat. lso, after which his course is northeast as
far as Lat. 100 30, where he again resumes the
general southern direction. The termini Of this
immense curve, called by the ancients the DEL
bows" Of the Nile, are KorOsko and Abou-Ham-
med. About ninety miles above the former
place, at Wadi Halfa is the second cataract of the
Nile, the Southern Thule of Egyptian tourists.
and the river between that point and Dongola,
is 50 broken by rapids, that vessels can only pass
during the inundation. The necessity of CON-
municating with the tributary countries of Sou
dan, induced Mohammed Ali to establish the
shorter route through the desert The distance
between Korosko and Abou- Hammed, by the
river is more than 600 miles, while by the Des
ert, it is according to my reckoning, only 247
miles.
was exceedingly fortunate in the time Of my
arrival at Korosko. A caravan had just arrived,
bringing twelve giraffes belonging to Lattif
Pasha, the Governor of Soudan. therefore
employed the guide which had accompanied 1t,
and Shekh Abou- Mohammed, chief of the
Ababdeh tribe, who happened to be in the
place, Immediately furnished me with camels, in
GLIDING two good drsmedaries, for Achmet and
myself BY order of the Governor, received
them at the price paid by officers OF the Govern
ment-0O piastrcs each to Ell Mekheyref, tho
capital of Oar Berber Merchants, who travel
this route, pay according to the weight OF their
loads, and frequently from 100 to $50 piastres.-
son Of Linant Bey, NJ. Llnant, the celebrated
traveller in Egypt and Arabia, whom met in AS
souan,) had been in Korosko eight days before
my arrival, and though he only required twelve
camels, was still there when left. The Gov
ernor kept his promise, strengthened by timely
present of tobacco and powder, and had every
thing ready for me after one days sojsurn. The
son of the former Mex (King) of Shendy-the
same fierce old savage who burned to death Is
mail Pasha and his soldiers-was also 10 Koros.
ko. He is responsible for the security Of travel
ers and merchandise in the desert, and his pres
ence probably facilitated my arrangements He
is a strikinst handsome man, and worea superb
Cashmere shawl twisted around his head as
turban.
On the morning of the elst, the water'skins
were filled from the Nile, the baggage carefully
divided into separate loads, the unwilling camels
received their burdens, and | mounted drom-
edary for the first time. My little caravan con-
sisted of six camels, including that of the guide.
As il was put in motion, the Governor and Shekh
Abou Mohammed wished me safe journey and
the protection Of Allah. We passed the msera-
DIE hamlet Of Korosko, turned corner OF the
mountain. chain into a narrow stony valley, and
in few minutes lost sight of the Nile and his
belt of palms. Thenceforth, for many days, the
only green thing to be seen in all the wilderness
was myself. After two or three hours travel,
we passed an encampment Of Arabs, where two
Nubians mounted on donkeys, joined for the
march to Berber, The first days journey lay
l. ~ tba~ fra al
with no apparent system or direction. They
were of Jet black volcanic stone, and resembled
immense piles of coke and anthracite. The
small glens and basins inclosed in this chaos
were flied with yellow sand, strewn in many
places with hollow globes Of hard black stone,
precisely resembling cannon-balls. The guide
gave me one Of the size OF rife-bullet, with
seam around the centre, as If cast in a mold.
The thermometer showed temperature or 800
at P. NJ, but the heat was tempered by
pure fresh breeze. After eight hours travel,
made my first camp at sunset, in little hollow
Enclosed by mountains, where a gray Jackal,
after being twice shot at came and iookea lnto
the door Of the tent.
found dromedary-riding not at all difficult.
One sits on very lofty seat, with his feet
crossed over the animals shoulders or resting on
his neck The body is obliged torock backward
and forward, on account of the long, swinging
gait, and as there is no stay or fulcrum except
blunt pommel, around which the legs are crossed,
some little power of equilibrium is necessary
Ny dromedsry was a strong, stately beast, OF
light cream color and so even gait, thatit would
bear the Arab test that is, one mig drink cup
of coffee, while going on full trot, without
spilling drop. found a great advantage in the
use OF the Turkish costume. My trowsers,
which contain Is yards of muslin, though sney
only reach to the knees, allow the leg perfect