Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1852-05-28
@ see Iiatg { o Il 8 .
From the New York Tribune
tracts from Rayard I'ayIOr's Letter.


Extracts from Rayard TayIDr's Letter.
KHAnrsuu, in suudln, Friday, jar. Ii, lo52
Here, for the first time fully realize that
! have reached Central Africa You will
perhaps, be able 10 appreciate the impression
when tell You that the first dish ON our table
at dinner Is Il sheep roasted whole and eaten
without knives and forks: that the horse
that has been appropriated to my daily use Is
Il red stallion, OF the wild breed Of Dar-fu
and that my pets, in playing with which
lose an hours time every day. are. full
grown lioucSs, leopard and two hyenas
When we ride out Of a morning. six iet-blacR
attendants. IN white and scarlet dresses fol
low us on six dromcdarios or if We chose to
dispense with them, two tootmcn run before
us, to clear a way through the streets This
Is a slight taste Of that barbaric pomp and
state which one iuvoluntarily associates with
the name Of Soudan.
On reaching here, the first thing | did was
to seek Il house, as in these lands Il traveller
who wishes to be respectable, must take a
residence on arriving at a city even if he
only intends to stay two or three days. |
went to the residence Of the shcikhs Of the
different quarters, none Of whom was athOme;
then to the Governor Of the city, but he was
absent in K0rdofan. Finally, in wandering
about the streets, we met = certain Ali Efcn-
di, who took us to house which would be
vacant the next day. 1t was large mud
palace, counting an outer and inner dlvan,
two sleeplng-roOms a Kitchen, storc-rO0ms,
apartments for servants, and an ncloscd
courtyard and stables, all of which were to
be had at 100 piastres (S5) a month-an ex-
orbitant price, as have since been informed.
Before engaging it, | decided to ask the ad-
,;,r ,C ., 4 M Poi
for whom | had letters. lie received me
with true German cordiality, and would hear
of nothing else but that should Immediately
take possession Of an unoccupied room in his
house. Accordingly the same day of my ar
rival behcd me installed in luxurious quar-
ters, with one of the most brave, generous and
independent of men as my associate.
As the Consurs residence is the type of
house Of the best class in khartoum, a de-
scription of it may give some idea Of life in
the place, under the most agreeable circuln-
stances. The ground-plotis is one hundred and
thirty PAGES square, and surrounded by a
high mud wall. Inside of this stands the
dwelling which is about half that length, and
separated from the principal side by mar
row garden and courtyard. Entering the
court by the main gate, 4 flight OF steps con-
ducts you to the diyan, or receptlon-room, IN
the second story. From the open ante-cham-
ber YOU look to the south over the gray
wastes of SEMINAR, or, if the sun is near his
setting, you see reach in the White Nile,
flashing like the point of an Arab spear
The divan has a cushioned seat around three
sides, and mating on the floor and is really
handsome room, although its walls are mud,
covered with a thin coating of lime, and its
roof palm-logs oyerlaid with coarse mating
on which rests layer of mud, foot thick.
In the second story are also the Consular Of
flee and a sleeping room The basement