New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-06-12

rolled in hot drifts and waves and long rdy sweIs
to the horizon north and south, broken here aad
there by the Jagged porphyry peaks. Before me,
to the southeast, the rugged hills ofthe Bsyooia
behind me, to the north and west, the burning
wildernesses Of the Great NubiaA Desert.
As sought for nv glass, to scan the view more
distinctly becaHe aware that J had lost my
Pocket-book on the way mp. is it contained
some money and all my keys was not little
troubled, and mentioned my loss to Shekh Mo-
hsmmed. We Immediately returned in search of
it, sliding down the sand and feeling with our
hands and feet therein. We had made more than
half the descent, and began to consider the search
as hopeless, when the Shekh, who was little in
advance, cried out 20 Sid God he praised
God be praised" He saw the corner of il stick
ing out Of the sand, took it up, kissed it, and laid
| it on one eve, while he knelt with his old head
turned up, that might take it Oh. | tied il
curely in corner of my shawl and we slid to the
bottom, where we found Achmet and the young
Shekhs in the shade of huge projecting cliff, with
breakfast spread out on the sand.
1t was now noon, and only the pyramids re-
manned to be seen on that side OF the river. The
main group is about a third of mile from the
mountain on the ridge of a sand-hll. There are
six in this, nearly entire, and the foundations OF
others. They are almost precisely similar to those
Of the real Meroe, each having small exterior
chamber on the eastern side. Like the latter,
they are built of sandstone blocks, only filed at
the corners which covered with hem
molding; the sides of two of them are convex
| On all of them the last eight or ten courses mex
the top have been smoothed to follow the slope OF
| the side Ii was no doubt intended to finish them
| all in this manner. One OF them has also tn
corner molding rounded, as to form scroll,
like that on the comice of many of the Egyptian
temples They are not more than fifty feet in
hight with very narrow bases. One of them, IN
| deed seems to be the connecting link between the
pyramid and the obelisk. Nearer the river is an
older pyramid though no regular courses of stone
are to be seen any longer. These sepulchral re-
mains, however, are much inferior to those of Me-
roe.
We rode back 10 the town on our uneasy don
kew saddles. As | wanted small money, the
Shekh proposed my calling on Achmedar kashf,
the Governor of Meroe and Ambukol, amt asking
him to change me some medids. We accordingly
rode under the imposing stone plies of the old
kings to the residence of the kashif, two-story
mud house with portco in front, covered with
mating. 1t was the day for the people Of the
neishborhood to pay their tslpeh or tax, and some
of his officers were seated on the ground in the
shade, settling this business with crowd OF Arabs
went up stairs to the dvan, and found the
Kashf rolling himself in his shawl, for dinner,
which his slaves had just brought up. He received
me cordially, and took my seat besd him on the
floor and dipped my fingers into the various dishes.
There was pan of baked ash, which was
excellent. after which came tray of scarlet wa
termelon slices, coffee, pipes, and lastly cup OF
hot sugar syrup. lie readily promised to change
me the money, and afterward accepted my invita-
tion to dinner. | stayed an hour longer, and had
an opportunity of witnessing some remarkable
scenes. woman came in to complain of her
husband. who had married another woman, leay
inc her with one child. She had a COW Of her
own. which he had forcibly taken and given to his
rev wife The Kashif listened to her story, and
then detaching his seal from his button.h hole gave
it to an attendant a summons which the delrn-
quent dare not disobey. company ofmen alter
ward came in to adjust some dispute about wa
ter-mill. They spoke 20 fast and in such yio-
lent and excited manner, that could not compre-
bend The nature of the quarrel; but the group
thew made was most remarkable. They leaned
forward with flashing teeth and eyes, holding the
folds Of their long nantes with one hand, while
they dashed and hurled the other in the air in the
violence of their contention. One would suppose
that they must all perish the next instant by spon-
tapeous combustion. The Kashif calmness
itself all the while, and after getting the particu
/. C,ot ,-bich Leo rod mar s-uupt.
" gave his decision. Some of the party protested.
against it, whereupon he listened attentiyely, but,
finding no reason to change his judgment, repeated
it. Still the Arabs screamed and gesticulated.
He calculated imshee {" get away in a thun-
dering tone, dealt the nearest ones vigorous
blow with his fist, and speedily cleared the diyan.
made preparations for giving the kashf a
handsome dinner. | had mutton and fowls, and
| Achmet procured eggs, milk and vegetables, and
! set his whole available force to work. Mean while
the Shekh and sat on the diyan outside the door
and exchanged compliments. lie sold me sword
from Bornou, which he had purchased from an
Arab merchant who had worn it to Mecca. lie
| told me he considered me as his two eyes, and
would give me one of his sons, if desired. Then
he rendered me an account of his family, occasion
ally pointing out the members thereof as they
passed to and fro among the palms. lie asked Inc
how many children | had, and was obliged to
confess myself wholly his inferior in this respect.
4" God grant," said he, that when you go back to
your own country, YOU may have many sons, just
like that one, pointing to naked Cupidon Of four
years old, of a rich chocolate-brown color. "God
grant it," was obliged to reply, cOnformably to
the rules of Arab poIiteness, but mentally gave
the words the significance Of " God forbid IT,
The Shekh, who is actually quite familiar with the
ruins in Ethiopia, and an excellent guide to them,
informed me that they were four thousand years !
old that the country was at that time in posses
s;o, of tho Fnplish but afterward the Arabs drove