The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-02-26

than fty Americans up the river, and moro Of rs are
coming. eably these surveying parties may be
paving the way for annexation, though the revealing
in the halls Of the Ptolemies would not pay to any
but those who possess fondness for bright sunshine,
squatting on dvans, strong coffee and mild tobacco.
Smoking, squattDg and squabblng are the chief en-
Payments of the natives, while the industrious feet
could not hold candle in activity and energy to the
entire insect population of the country; the only in
dustrious population it possesses
Our party reached Egypt at most favorable time
to the sights The great religious festival OF the
return Of the pilgrims from Mecca and birthday OF the
prophet, was near at hand and our new Consul Gene
raj Mr. De Leon, having arrived soon after, we had
also an opportunity Of seeing Abbas Pacha, the
reigniDg Vceroy, and the ceremonies OF presenta-
ton-s very ceremonous business out here, the
PaAha insisting on keeping up the old state Of Eastern
potentates.
On the arrival of the st. Louis at Alexandria, which
brought out the Consul and his friend, Dr. Flint, Of
Maryland two popular demonstrations were made TO
Capt Ingrahsm, and America generally BY enthusi-
astc foreigners in that city They first assembled In
front Of the hotel where the Consul entertaining
his friends of the St. Louis and serenaded the party
calling loudly for Capt. Ingraham, and shouting
/" Vivas for America, the home OF the Free" the
land for the oppressed" &c. They kept it up 80
long and 30 loudly that Judge Jones, the old Con-
sui General, finally stepped out on the balcony
and made them . short speech in Italian, after
which they shouted more strenuously, and then
quietly dispersed. The crowd was quite large one,
and looked like respectable one. Capt. graham,
whose modesty Is only equalled by his courage,
seemed rather annoyed by these loud denonstra-
tions But his trials were not over; for the next
night the manager of the Italian theatre gave in
vit4tion to the new Consul General to attend the
theatre with the officers Of the ship, which was
copied. After the first act, fine looking man in
the pit rose up and read a welcome to Capt. Ingra
ham, and the Americans generally. which was &C.
knowledged by their rising up. The applause was
deafening. Cheers were given all round, and finally
an American flag was waved from one Of the upper
boxes, upon which the building was nearly unrooed
by the riras of the audience. Capt. Ingraham and
Mr. De Leon-both South Carolinians, by the way
responded to these enthusiastic demonstrations by
rising up and bowling to the assembly, which num-
bered pretty women as well as bearded men. On
the whole it was very gratifying to our national
pride to such marks OF respect paid IN this Tar on
land to eur countrys flag ard its representatives.
Capt. Ingraham and his government have both rea-
son to be proud of the sensation his noble act and its
endorsement have occasioned, not only in the West
but in the far East, and wherever It's echo has rolled
If there we're any Austrian sympathizes there they
sung small and John Bull, we thought, looked less
consequential than usual.
l tell YOU MI Bennett, an American citizen now
stands A No. throughout the East These people
don't regard paaver but they do admire pluck, and
they believe now that Brother Jonathan is not to be
trifed with. But am playing q solo on Yankee
Doodle" when you expect variations on Egyptian
airs. Forgive me, and l will give you my Nile
Notes" though not comparable to those OF Howadji
Curtis who has daguerreoypsd this country as none
but Yankee could. Batting a few Boston notions,
and Alterations Of STYLE that book Is about the
best guide book traveller can bring with him into
this land Of the sacred beetle HIS opening chapter
on the dragomen in red slippers and baggy breeches,
who waylay the voyager at Alexandria, is painfully
true.
We "took the fatal plunge" at Alexandria, and
bear testimony to the truth OF the Ho Sadjis warn
nRs and If you 60 farther you are apt to fare worse.
The dragomen and the donkey boys are two add.
tionL plaques to the old plaques OF Egypt, all OF
which are yet in full force-the ocusts in the shape
OF natives, devouring everything green" with
wonderful voracity
The first Arabic word you learn Is basksciseh,
which means money, and the same word Is dinned
into your earn all the time and every where, from
whisper with duplicating gesture in the streets,
TO . scream with hostile demonstrations at the
PYRAMIDS and In the desert. The Turks, who are
lords Of the country, are fine looking set OF mon;
and Dress but the Europeanixed Turk il not an i'm
provsment a the animal. The Arabs and Egyptians
are q very vsgabond looking set generally, with
n any rags 70 their backs; while the women seem
careful OF concealing nothing but their faces and
they generally are faces which ought to be hidden.
But may give you q separate chapter on charac-
teristics, after seeing more OF the people, AT pre-
sent my experience Is limited to the donkey bovs,
drsgomep, and the usual swarm OF beggars tnas fol.
low the footsteps Of strangers. Alexandria our
party did not stop Of long, preferriDg to study It
when We came back, being very anxious to see the
Pyramids: Accordingly, We chartered Nile boat
or dababrich, Ohe small ones are called cargias)
In preference to taking the steamboat which takes
thrty-six hours to go up, and costs f3 or SIS per
man. The boats are not only small and without
sleeping places, but You have TO be to we'd up the
canal forty miles, and changed into the steamboat in
the cold gray Of the morning, much flea and mos
quito bitten the interval. For the Nile boats the
price charged varies entirely with the creaulity or
sharpness OF the traveller and his trust In drago-
men. Americans generally know what they are
about and the class who come to Egypt are gene.
rally men of intelligence, and hard :" 70 do" They
have OF the best boats this year, and at reason
able prices for this place, where everything costs
just about double or treble what it would at home or
In Europe-liviDg included. just think OF an i'm
provemeDt on Astor House prices In Alexandria and
Cairo; but it is 90, the Oldest nhabant signing over
the good old times, before the Transit and travel
les made shoroughfare OF Egypt, and the Arabian
nights (and days) as costly rs those of the Prln.
cess Scbezerade. Travellers VINO have to lay in
stock Of provisions for goipg up the Nile are amazed
at the prices demanded for the necessaries OF life
and the inhabitants don't faro much better. Why
Brtthef Jonathan has not opened large trade with
this port OF Alexandra astonishes all Of as who see
the opening, and as there are some business men
among rs, we hope their reports may induce that
enterprisi1g individual to improve It.
/ am told that only two or three American ships
touch here in the course OF year and there is sctu-
ally no trade worth talking about between the two
countries. Some American notions, such as ice,
In hair I'm we
from Boston. and realized very handsome profits !;
but it stopped there. Now the demand for ice ia
very great. and very high prices paid for CONCEALED
snow, brought from Trieste and Sicily. Think OF
that, Fresh PoDders and Wenham lakers OF Boston!
Good Havana segars also would go off like smoke,
the Manila cheroots having the market here, aud
costing as much az Havana.
But business is not my business at present. Now
or the sights. We have seen the Bosch. II you
wait to know what that Is, You will find good de-
sciption of it in warburton's book, " The Crescent
AND Cross.n 1t is religious festival ending BY q
long procession, and the riding over pavement OF