The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1864-05-10

TO Me Alpha Kappa Phi Society Of
Hiusdole College. ~

I'D .ftIIf" uII.I AII|tI tN'..tI - -
10, the Alpha Kappa Phi. Society Of
Wisdole College. ;ef I; i.
al, sCAIRo, Egypt Feb, 2ey 1854. i
gYsd AddressingEmy letters to-the four
Literary Societies in the reversed alpha
betical orderr--tlish giving the ladies
the first, attention, which Of course they
always deserye-4yourf turn has now
come. Having sent the Amphictyons
the other day a brief description OF my
visit to Mt. Vesuvius, whichsis perhaps
the greatest natural curiosity that will
come in my way, Inowproposeto give
you a similar narrative of my visit to
the Pyramids; (which are, beyond all
doubt, the greatest work Of human
hands that 1 Shall ever look upon. "a
Our party Of four had arranged to
devote Yesterday to that visit; and, we
had accordingly employed ldragoman
to act as guide and commander-ip-chief
Of the expedition, He was to be pre-
pared to start at, FIVE O'clock in the
morning, and had agreed to wake us up
u half an hour before, so that we should
be ready in time. but who can trust
these indolept and unreliable Orientals?
Very ,unwisely we had paid him five
dollars earnest money; for hs was to
furnish dopkeys, pay all fees and ex-
penses, aud we were 20 pay him five
dollars each for the day.oE sdT c3
4 We were up at half past four and
ready at FIVE, but waited till after six
before he appeared, and then without
his donkeys, which were not yet ready.
50 it was half past six before we start
ed, 49, ,'.,s.,,-.9g M sniefsBs %
Each donkey was in the outset ac-
cpmpanied dya boy or man, as is the
usual custom here--.the attendant of
the donkey being expected to follow on
foot as fast as the party choose to ride,
and to urge the donkcys on when they
linger behind, or move more slowly
than the expedition, demands. The en-
durance OF. these donkey boys is quite
amazing Our dragoman. started off at
the rate of seven miles an hour, as il to
make amends for his tardiness; and two
of the four boys fell behind at the end
Of the first hour. The other two fol-
lowed us through the day, our ride be-
ing over 40 miles We reached our
hotel III half past seven, and during the
thirteen hours neither boys nor donkeys
had had anything either to eat or drink.
For this is the month of Ramidan, in
which the .Mahomedan religion requires
its deyotees to fast from four in the
to six in the evening. / be-
lieve the donkeys are not embraced in
the regulation but probably the boys
thought if they could stand it the dom
keys could, so both Jared alike. s
With such a party and through snch
q Golntry as we trayersed yesterday,
this donkey travelling is quite.agreeable,
ana not n little cxhilirating. Thephys-
ieal comfort depends upon the gait of
your animal. Its .canter" is an easy
gait, rs also n sort of "amble" which
many Of them have. But spare me
the short hard trot of these diminutive
1t is even worse than
the corresponding gait of our 4AAmeri-
can horses. Mine appeared 10 be as
the boy assured me, "a very good don
key, siim Generally they aresure-toot-
CT, but one of ours was knee-sprung,
and all Of them were evidently q little
tired before we ereached home. 1t add
ed not a little to the amusement of the
ridc-as no injuries were received
that now and then, on a fast trot or
canter, over the rough places, down
came the donkey on his knees, and I'M
der the mechanical laws Of momentum
aud inertia, down came his rider, lit
tie ahead of the beast. from, which he
had thus 50 unteremomousIy parted
I Our party consisted of Rev. Dr.
Thompson, of Roxhury, Mass, DIR.
Lesley, Physician from Delaware, a
younS gentleman BY the name of Tay-
Ior, and myself = The first who was
called to the performance of this anu
sing feat, was the bevDoctor, of'oyer
so years of age, and being just at my
side itwas difficult to restrain my mer-
riment long enough to find out whether
any bruises had been received or not
But it being Immediately ascertained
that all was well, our laughter broke
forth uncontrollably. | have not yet
got through with mime; and il seems
to me now tlatwhenever for forty years
to come, / recall the picture Of the
good Doctor and his ''very good don
key, sirn lying in astnight row in that
sandy desert, shalfb obliged to laugh
again. bJ1HlsaD fi9i ~ .clR4 oh iha.
Pretty soon down came our Phila-
delphia friend, making a still more ri
diculous figure than the Doctor; for
unfortunately he suffers from A stiff
Joint; and the two legs Z lereGore refus-
eel tolobeyg any common law of posi-
ton. p Two hours laterithe NJ ID. took
his turn, and we. looked back-for he
To be in the rear-to see him
with his feet in the stirrnps and his
hands scratching In the sand, while the
two donkey boys werc tiiiting in Wig
orous efiDrt torestore him 10 0 more
digilified position. polio aH1c ~ t.t,a)i'
ia MyTturn was vet 10 come and /
awaited my time, not doubling that it
was near athand. In this I was hap
PLY disappointed, and received the con-
EXAMINATIONS Of the company for having
the best9donkey in theflot; TO which |
could easily retort: -" There Is some
thing in knowing how'to ride, gentle
menl"babnfd HoilufJknl bug fasoFf
. The day was gloiiousAall thesedays
are.d Jiine weather without rain is The
donr,ae,fof, n, b1IaStx-f .s,,tsss. 81 riohf