New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-06-12
FROM NEW-YORK TO NINEVEH
XXXIII.
THREE DAYS AT NAPATA, THE ANCIENT CAPT.
tai OF ETHIOPIA.

AAAllI.
THREE DAYS AT NAPATA, THE ANCIENT CAPT.
tai OF ETHIOPIA.
Editorial Correspondence ftbe NY. Tribune.
CAmP, NEAR MERoE, ETHIOPIA,
Friday, Feb. 20, 1852 5
The friendly haven into which | came,
out of the arid sea Of the desert three days ago,
was the village of Abdom, on the eastern bank of
the Nile, which here flows toward the south until
it reaches the frontier of DOngola On the Oppo-
site bank is MerOe, the former capital of Oar
Shyghesa, which must not be COMPOUNDED with
the ancient Meroe, the ruins of which, near Shen-
dv. have described in former letter. True, the
identity of the names at first deceived antiquari-
ans, who supposed the temples and pyramids in
this neghborhood to have belonged to the capital
of the old Hierarchy of MerOe bat il s now salts
factorily established that they mark the site Of
Napata, the capital Of Ethiopia up to the time o
the Caesars. 1t was the limit of the celebrated ex-
petition of the Roman soldiers, under Petronus.
Djebel Bcrke at whose base the principal re-
mains are found is in lat. IS 3j, or thereabouts,
but on account of the great curve or "elbOw" of
the Nile, must retrace my steps far lat. lS'
and then travel due west for two days before |
reach the point where the river again takes a north
ward direction.
was welcomed to Abdom BY the Shekh or holy
man Of the place, who met me on the verge of the
desert, and conducted me to the best of his two
houses. Shekh Mohammed Abdul. Djebil mo
manned, the Slave of the Mountains is a dign-
fed old man Of sixty, with gray beard and brown
complexion and is the owner of water mill, sew
eial fields of wheat and cotton and abundance of
palm-trees. He has two wives each of whom.
with her family, occupies separate hOuse-a great
mark of discretion on the part of Mohammed.
Domestic quiet ia thus secured to him, while he
possesses that in which the Arab most gIories and
rejoices-a numerous family of children. His
youngest wife, a woman of thirty, immediately
vacated the house on my arrival, and took up her
temporary residence in tent of palm mating
with her four children. The dwelling into which
was usheTed was square structure of clay. one
story high with one door and no windows. II had
flat roof of palm logs, covered with thatch and
the inside walls hung with large mats, plated
with brilliantly colorsd palm blades. Fancy ves-
sells ofbaked clay, baskets, ostrich eggs, and other
ornaments were suspended from the roof in sings
Of palm fiber, and a very large white mat covered
half the floor. Here my bed was laid. and nv
camp-stool, placed in front of it, formed table.
The Shekh, who was with me nearly all the time of
my stay sat on the floor in front of me, and never
entered or departed from the house. without say
ing " BiSmIRlhi," (''In the name Of God"l as
he crossed the threshold. Outside of the door
was broad dVan, running along the north side Of
the house. 1t therefore pointed toward Mecca
and vas a most agreeable PRAYING place for the
holy man. | sat there the rest of the day, after
my arrival tasting the luxury of GOODNESS and
shade, and sleeping my eyes in a bath Of refresh
ing colors. clump of some twenty date-trees
grew in front of the door, throwing over us gor-
geous canopy OF leaves. Fields of wheat in head
waist-deep, surrounded the house, insulating it in
sea eli grcenness over which saw the hills of
the Desert, no longer terrible but soft and fair AMI
far as clouds smouldering in the rosy fires OF an
Eastern sunrise.
Very early next morning the Shekh and his sons
and their asses were in readiness to accompany
me TO Dje5el Berkel. We walked down between
the Shekh's gardens to the Nile where the ferry
boat was waiting 10 convey us across. | was en-
chanted with the picture which the shores pre-
sented. The air was filed with light, silvery
yapor, Ia Characteristic Of sultry weather in Afri
ca,l softeRing the deep, rich color of the land
scape. The eastern bank was one bower of palms,
standing inotonless, in perfect groups, above the
long, sloping banks Of beans in blossom. Such