Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-04-30

a visit to Egypt during his absence, from which
he wrote the following interesting letter to the
Richmond Enquirer
CAIRo, December II, 1855.
need not protest my reluctance to post
pone my return on any pretence of pleasure or
profit. / am tired of travel, aud long for
home with the passionate yearning of an exile !:
yet could not resist the temptation of a visit
to this famous land
III Egypt yields to Greece in classic inter
est, in the seductive influence of luxurious
climate it claims an Incompatible fascination.
1t is the Elysium of reverie. Under the soft.
but subdued glow Of its cloudIess sun the spi-
rit relaxes its stern self-restraint, is dissolved
into state of tranquil meditation, and foats
freely and peacefully over a land where all the
energies of nature appear in repose. Nor is
Egypt wanting IN Ine higher interests OF MS
torical association. Here the most eager am
bition of research is bewildered and baffied
mong the mysterious monuments of the reno
test antiquity; here the imaginative mind finds
stimulus and sweep for its highest flights.
Since my earliest reading of the Pharaohs
and the Pyramids, Egypt has been the land l
most desired to explore. At last this wish is
partially gratifed; but you must be content
with very imperfect record of my impress
sions.
Alexandria disappoints me. Besides the OBJ
elisk which tradition distinguishes as ''Cleo-
patra's Needle" and ssPompey's Pillar" col
umn with a beautiful porphyry shaft and bar
barous stone base and capital, ii possesses no
monument of antiquity. No lingering ruin
attests the splendid civilization of the Ptolc-
mics. much less of remoter times. The city
presents a repulsive picture of native degrada-
tion and foreign refinement but the European
quarter does not possess enough OF elegance
and luxury to compensate for the filth and bar
barity of the predominant Egyptian popula-
tion. However, since the trade of the Indies
has reverted to its ancient channe! across the
country, Alexandria has recovered something
OF its former fabulous splendor. 1t is the cen
tre already of considerable commerce, and
people predict the revival of its prosperity
when the Mediterranean and Red Sea con-
nected by canal--a project now in execution.
Alexandria occupies important position
in the relations of the globe, but its immedi-
ate locality is destitute equally of fcommercal
advantage and picturesque effect. 1t is situa-
ted on q low and sandy shore. Its harbor is
neither deep, spacious, nor secure. My dis
appointment in Alexandria increased my i'm
patience TO see Cairo, where l was promised
such instructive memorials of antiquity and
such interesting representations of oriental
character.
But first let me express my admiration of the
a. hny unIo
conditions peculiarly favorable to an apprecia-
tion OF it's glories, and do not hesitate to af-
firm that they poorly celebrated in the
most gorgeous descriptions. If it is the mid
die of December, the appearances of nature
contradict the calender, and seem to convict
me Of confounding the seasons. The ther-
mometer stands at ~ deg Fahrenheit; the sun
clows with summers heat, and the atmosphere
pulsates with the passionate throbs peculiar to
the most ardent season Of our year. Skirting
along the southern bank of the canal which
connects the waters of the Nile with the har-
bor of Alexandria, the railway traverses por-
tion of the most fertile land in Egypt, and
gradually unfolds q scene which equally ex-
cites the astonishment and the enthusiasm OF
the spectator All his ideas of the succession
of seasons and of the possibilities of agricui-
tural productions are confounded- The iai-
low fields are covered with the luxuriant yege-
tation of tropical region. The crops are IN
every stage of preparation and progress from
seed-time TO harvest. The young wheat car
pets the ground with verdurs before the laoo-
rer garners the gray sheavcs Of the old growth.
Hsre an Arab, in scanty dress, with plough