Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1853-05-05
Thursday, May 5, Is53.
NUMBER y.


jerusalem, Feb ls, 1853.
Mr. Dean SIN Having made arrangement
with dracoman for conveyance across the Des
crt, and through Palestine. before going up th'
Nile, stopped but two days at Cairo on my return
The facilities FOR crossing the Desert have beer
so much improved OF late, that traveller need
take no more thoughts about his preparation
than for any ordinary journey. The usual mode
is to contract with dragoman to furnish every
thing requisite for the journey, agreeing TO pay
him stipulated sum for each day of the jour
ney. This saves the traveller all trouble, and Is
more economical than any other course These
dragomen make regular business of crossing
the Desert. and keep constantly on hand sup
ply of all the necessarcs for the journey. Our
party consisted Of four travellers, requiring
dragoman, cook, two attendants, four Arabs a.
camel drivers, and thirteen cnmels TO convey u,
and our equippage. This seems large numbe
Of camels, but we had none too many. Six O
them were heavily laden, and all the others car
ried considerable burihens in addition to thei
riders. Two tents, cots, mattresses, bed cloth
ing, table, seats, carpets, all kinds of kitchen
and table furniture, provisions, water, and ever
CRATES and coal TO cook with, formed a collection
sufficient to make respectable beginning in the
way OF housekeeping On the morning Of Jan.
uary 3lst we mounted our camels. The act re-
quires some caution, being always performed
when the animal is laying down, and not unfre-
quently before you IRE fairly in your seat he
commences to rise, first by getting upon his
knees, motion tending to throw yuu backward,
and then as suddenly raising to their full height
his long, double ointed hind legs, he as sudden
ly throws you forward in such a manner that IN
less you have firm hold with your hands, you
are sure to be thrown over his head. third
motion brings him erect upon his fore legs and
you find yourself seated high in the air upon a
fiat cushion, with the privilege of turning your
face in any direction most agreeable to Yourself
The position is not uncomfortable, but the long
stride and slow monolonous walk makes it at
first iiresome, but in short time you become
accustomed 10 il, and move on from morn until
night, noddlng like an automaton at every step
he takes. The usual gait is not over three miles
an hour thus at night, after not and fatiguing
days ride, we found we had only advanced the
short distance accomplished IN a single hour up
on a railroad. For the first few hours from Cairo,
our road ran near the Nile, and mostly through
well cultivated fields. At ten miles we came to
the site o. ancient Heliopolis known in scripture
by the name Of On. fall The splendid temples
which once adorned that city, not a vestige now
remains. A solitary granite obelisk, about sixty
feet in height alone designates the place where
the city once stood. Near this is the garden of
Matareh, containing spring OF pure water the
only one have seen in Egypt, and venerable
old looking sycamore tree, under whose branch
es tradition says the Holy Family reposed at the
time of their flight into Egypt. During the first
two days, orr course ran alternately amongst
rich and verdant fields and desert sands, border
ing on the land of Goshen; the land where Jo-
seph's brethren went to dwell but the cultlva-
ted fields became less frequent, till on the third
night we pitched our tents on the last cultivated
spot. For the next seven days our course was
over the desert, and we saw not hablatlon, or
scarcely tree Of any kind still it was not an en-
tire waste of sand. Nearly half the distance was
over hard, gravelly surface, on which was ct
en- scattered quite thicky growth of small thor
ny shrubs, relieving the view Of much of its des-
ert, gloomy appearance. The surface was un
dulatng, and in some places, drifting banks of
sand were thrown up fifty or sixty feet in height
presenting beautiful appearance. During those
seven days 1t was rare sight 10 see any living
object not connected with our train. There was
little to attract either beast or bird, STILL in that
desert place is the home of the chameleon several
of which were caught and we watched will
much interest their constantly varying colors a,
they were placed IN contact with different OBJ
jects. While on the desert we retired and slep
with the greatest security, and it was only whel
near the settlements we deemed it necessary t
keep look ont to guard against the thievins
propensity of the wandering Arabs. On the I'll
night after entering the desert we arrived at Ell
Arish, the frontier town of Egypt located two
miles from the Mediterranean, and il is the onl,
spot which realized in full my expectations Of a
desert. For three miles before reaching tn,
town we saw nothing but mountains Of drifting
sand without sign of vegetation of any kind
The town itself is collection Of miserable ston,
and mud huts, built around an old fortress erect
ed by the French, but at present entirely dis
mantled aud useless. The place is memorial,
for having been surrendered by the TURKS to Ma
poleon m l77o, when the garrison was permiltc,
to retire on parole, but which they soon after vi
oa'ed, and being again taken under arms nea
Jaha, several thousand were executed on tn,
spot.
The Pasha Of Egypt keeps quartered in this
vicinity few soldiers, just sufficient to protect
the communications across the desert, and form
an outpost for the frontier of Palestine. After
leaving ii Arish an improvement m the countr,
was soon visible, and although we saw no habi
tations, still an occasional spot was seen TO b,
cultivated, and they became more frequent dur
ing the day. As additional proof that the coun
try was inhabited, we were called upon tire,
times during the day for tribute by dilieren
sheiks having charge Of, and held responsible L
keep the communications open and safe for al
travellers. As they placed but small value Of
Al. 1 a.. l.