New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-06-16

sight Of them entirely. IL was truly gocd Tor
tane that did not take the short road east OF she
Nile, from Meroe to this place. In the terrib.e
wastes Of the Nubian Desert, we could scarcely
have survived such storm.
Nearly all the afternoon we passed over deserted
tracts, which were once covered with fourishms
fields. The water-courses extend for nearly two
miles from the river and cross the road at intervals
of fifty yards. But now the villages level with
the EARTH and the sand Whistles over the traces Of
fields and gardens, which it has not vet efaced.
Two hours before sunset the sun disappeared, and
began to long for the town Of Handak, our desti-
nation. Achmet and were ahead, and the other
camels not 10 be seen any longer so as sunset
came on grew restless and uneasy. The palms
by this time had appeared again on the rivers
brink, and there was village on our left, in
the sand. We asked again for Handak. "yust at
the corner Of Won palms." said the people. We
pushed on till the spot was reached, but as far
ahead as the sand would permit us TO see could
discern no house. We asked again: the town
commenced at the next corner Of the palms ahead
us. | think this thing must have happened to
us five or six times till at last got into that pecu-
liarly amable mood which sees nothing good in
Heaven or Earth. If my best friend had come to
meet me, should have given him but sour greet
ing. My eyes were blinded my head duh and
stupid and my bones sore from twelve hours in the
saddle. As it grew dark, we were overtaken by
four riders mounted on fine dromedaries. They
were going at a sweeping trot and our beasts were
ambitious enough to keep pace with them for some
time. One of them was stately Shekh, with
white robe and broad gold border and fringe From
what the people said of him, took him to be the
Nlelek or King of Dongola.
Meanwhile, it was growing dark. We could
see nothing of the town, though woman who
had been walking beside us said we were there
already. She said she had fine house, which
we could have for the night, since it was almost
impossible for tent to stand in such wind. As
had already dipped into the night, determined
to reach Handak at all hazards and after still
other hour, succeeded. Achmet and dismounted
in a ruined court yard, and while | sat on broken
wall, holding the camels, he went to look for our
men. 1t was a dismal place, in the gathering
darkness, with the wind bowling and the sand
drifting on all sides, and wondered what fend
had ever tempted me to travel in Africa. Before
long the woman appeared and guided us to a col
lection of miserable huts on the top Of the hill.
Her fine house proved to be narrow, mud-wslled
room, with roof of smoked douna-stalks. IL
shut off the wind however, and when entered
and found the occupants 1.-TWO other women) talk
ing to each other by the light of pile of blazing
con-stalks, it looked absolutely cheerful |
4 e h., a,,l
soon relapsed into better humor But | am
afraid we were not lodged in the most respectable
house of Handak for the women showed no dis
position 10 leave, when we made preparations for
sleeping. They paid no attention to my requests,
and was obliged to threaten them with iorcible
election, before they vacated the house. The
camel-men informed me that the place is notorl-
Gus for its harotry.
From Iandak to this place is two days journey.
The country presents the same aspect of deserton
and ruin as that in the neghbOrhoOd Of Old Don
COLA Untenanted villages line the road during
nearly the whole distance The face of the coun-
try is level and there is no mountain to be seen
on either bank of the Nile. On account Of the
tolls of our journey from Meroe to this place, |
have taken two days rest for my caniels, in order
TO recruit them for the still worse journey of near
w three hundred miles, from here to Wadi llala.
We hope to make it in ten days more.
The morning after my arrival, the Governor,
Khoorshid Bey, called at my tent and returned
the visit in the afternoon. He il stout, fair.
skinned and brown-bear1ed man of thirty eight,
and looks more like an American than Turk. |
.ound him in the shop of Turkish merchant, OPP
posite the door Of the mosque which is built in
the center of the bazaar. Two soldiers were in
attendance, and brought me coffee and sherbet.
The Bey was particularly anxious to know
whether the railroad from Alexandria TO Cairo
would be built and how much it would cost.
While | was sitting with him. the moiiahs were
chanting in the mosque opposite, as it was the
Mosem Sunday, and groups of natives were flock
ing thther tp say their prayers. Presently the
voice of the muezzin was heard from the top Of
the minaret, chanting in loud, melodious, melan-
choy cadence the call to prayer singular cry,
the effect Of which, especially at sunset, Is really
poetic and suggestive. | took my leave, as the
Bey was expected to perform his deyOtions with
the other wOrshipers.
The town may be seen in an hour IL contains
no sights, except the bazaar which has about
twenty tOlerable shops, principally stocked with
cottons and calicoes, and great quantity ofwhite
shawls with crimson borders, which the people
here are fond of wearing over their shoulders.
Outside the bazaar, which has roof Of palm-lOgs
covered with mating, are few shops, containing
spices, tobacco, beads, trnkets and the like small
articles. Beyond this is the soog, where the peo-
pie come with their coarse tobacco, baskets Of
raw cotton, onions palm-mats, gourds, dates,
faggots of fre-wood sheep and fowls. In this mar
ket-place which ascends and descends with the
dirt. heaps left from ruined houses, there are four
ostriches, which walk about, completely natur-
allied to the place. One of them ID more than
feet high-a most powerful and graceful cres-
ture. They are not out of place, among the
groups OF wild-hared kababish and Bisharee who
no market