Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-10-07
from Bayard Tnylor's Journey to Central Africa,l
4 DAYS OCCUPATION ON THE NILE.

Epvpt concerning the comparative pains anu Pr
snres of life on the Nile and their decisions an
.orous ne their individual characters. Four out ot
every FIVE complain of the monotOny and tculu:n VI
the voyage and pour forth touching lame''ta' ;
over the annoyances of rats and I ;ficntv
possibility of procuring beef-stakes, or the ui.u.S
of shooting crocodiles. Some of them are mp
BILE to the influence of the climate scenery anu at
of Egypt and carry to the Nuban frontier Tue az
of BROADWAY or Bond street. have heard Sucn
ono saw. "This seeing the Nile, IS nice thing
to have rotten over but it is great bore Whhe y"
arc about it." Such is the spirit OF those tfaVe''"
snobs (of all nationsO by some OF wnon s,u1
Eoynt is profaned every winter. They arc unworthy
70 behold the glories of the Nile and, II nao tue
management Of society, they never snoul!. "a
naIm tree is, to them, good post to shoot pigeon
from: Dendera is . rum OLD concern, anu " 0A''
odIe is better than Karnak
= There are few however who will acknowledge
the truth ofthe picture that follows, anu "rlc " 10
written in the cabin of the Cleopatra, lmmeo!aeiy
after our arrival in upper Egypt AS II Is a'Ciiii
transcript of my Nilotc life, have devIated from
the regular course of my narrative IN order TO give
it without change ,.1,,
The Nile is the paradise of travel thought naa
already fathomed all the depths of enjoyment when
the travellers restless life could reach-en)oyment
more varied and exciting, but far less serene and
enduring than that OF a quiet home-o neIe
have reached fountain too pure and powerful 10
he exhausted. Such thorough delivcrance from all
the petty annoyances of travel in other lands, Such
such perfect contentment ofsprit, such entre aoan
donment to the best influences of nature Every DAY
opens with jubilntic, and closes with thanSsS'V-
ing IF such balm and blessing as this lie mas
been to me- thus far, be felt twice in one eXS-
tence there must be another Nile somewhere IN TINS
world.
Other travellers undoubtedly make other expert
ences and take away other Impressions can even
conceive circumstances which would almost destroy
the pleasure of the journey. The same exqnlSlteiy
sensitive temperament which, in our case, mas not
been disturbed by a single untoward incident, m'gh
easily be kept in state Of constant arrangement by
an unsympathetic companion or cheating dragoman
or fractions crew. There are also many trlting
dsaqrements, inseparable from life IN Egypt when
some would consider source OF annoyance; put
as we find fewer than we were prepared to meet,
we are not troubled thereby. Our enjoyment springs
from causes few and simple, that scarcely know
how to make them suffice for the effect, to those
who have never visited the Nile. 1t may be inter-
estng to such to be made acquainted with our man.
ner of living, in detail
In the first place we are as independent of all or
eaniZed governments n ship on the open sea-
TThe Arabs call the Nile Ell 6ahr, the sea- We
are on board of our own chartered vessel, which
must 90 where we list the captain and sailors beng
strictly bound to obey US. We sail under national
colorS make own laws for the time beng are
ourselves the only censorS over our speech ana con-
duct, and shall have no communication with the au-
thorities Shore unless our subjects rebel VI
this we have no fear. for we commenced by main
tanning strict discipline, and as we make no unreas-
enable demands, are always cheerfully obeyed. In
deed the most complete harmony exists between
the rulers and the ruled and though our govern
ment is the purest form of despotis, we fater our
selves that it is better managed than that OF the
model Republic.
Our territory, to be sure, is not very extensive
The Cleopatra is adoha6iyeh. seventy feet long by
bv ten broad She has two short masts in the bow
and stern the first upholding the trinkee lateen
sail nearly seventy feet in length. The latter
ries the bclikon small SAIL and the American col
ors. The narrow space around the foremost belongs
to the crew, who cook their meals in small brick
furnace and sit on the gunwale beating drum and
tambourine and singing for hours in interminable
choruscs, when the wind blows fair If there is no
wind half of them shore, Juggling us slowly
along the banks with long tow rope and singing
all day long: "Aya kdmdra-dpG hannah :" If
strike sand-bank, they jump into the river
and put their shoulders against the hull, singing
"hoy-h0ytee san. If the current is low, they ship
the oars and pail up stream, singing so comp}-
Gated refrain that it is impossible to write it with
other than Arabic characters. There eight men
and boy, besides stately rails, Hasson Add e
Sadek, and the swarthy pilot. who greets us
every morning with whole round of Arabic saluta-
TONS
Against an upright pole, which occupies the place
of mairl-nast stands kitchen, high wooden !
box, with three furnaces. Here our cook, Saame, |
may be seen at all times, with the cowl of blue |
capote drawn his turban, preparing the mar |
velous dishes, wherein his delight is not less than
Salamc, like a skiful artist, he is, hus- |
bands his resources, and each day astoniShes us |
with new preparations, so that, out of few mate
rails, he has attained the grand climax of all art
variety in unity. Achmet, my faithful dragoman,
has his station here, and keeps one eye on the
sci and one on the Kitchen while between the two
he does not relax his protecting care for US. The
approach to the cabin is fanked by our provision
chests, which will also serve a breastwork in
of foreign aggression. huge filter jar of porous
earthenware stands against the back of the kitchen
We keep our fresh butter and vegetables in a box
under it. where the sweet Nile water drips cool and
clear into an earthen BASIN Our bread and vegeta-
bles, in an open basket of palm blades,
pended beside it. and the roof of the cabin supports
our poultry yard and pigeon house. Sometimes
ing from the ridge pole, which extends over the
deck support to the awning
The cabin mansion of the Executive Powers
is about twenty live feet long. Its floor is two feet
below the deck, and its ceiling five feet above, so
that we not crampGd or crowded in any particu-
lar. Before the entrance is sort of portico, with
a broad, cushioned seat each side, and side
ings to shut out the sun. This place is devoted to
pipes and meditation. We throw up the awnings
let the light pour in all sides, and look out the
desert mountains while we inhae the incense of the
East. Our own main cabin is about ten feet long, |
and newly painted Of brilliant blue color broad
divan with cushions extends along each side serv-
ing as a sofa by day and bed by night. There are
windows, blinds, and cover at the sides,
that we can regulate our light and air choose
In the middle of the cabin is table and two camp
Stools while shawls capotes, pistols sabre and gun
are suspended from the walls. A little door at the
further end opens into wash-room, beyond which
IS smaller cabin with BEDS which we have allotted
to Achmets use. Our cook sleeps deck with his
head against the provision chest The rails and pilot
sleep on the roof of cabin where the latter sits
all day, holding the long of the rudder, which
projects forward over the cabin from the high end
of the stern.
Our manner of life i&simple, and might even be
called monotonous, but VIC have never found the