The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-11-15
AN ARABS IDEA or WOMEN.

The interest concerning the regions of the
Upper Nile created by the Abyssinian expedi-
tion has induced the publication of new
book in London by Sir Samuel Baker, whose
title is, "The Nile Tributaries and the Sword
Hunters Of the Hamran Arabs" It is said by
the English reviewers to be as interesting as
the authors previous work. One of the re-
viewers says:--
This is indirectly a Nile book, and indi-
rectly an Abyssinian book mainly, it is
book illustrated with clever sketches by the
author, about gazelle shooting elephant shoot
ing, crocodile shooting, stalking giraties, hip
popotamus hunting, and so forth, all thor
oughly enjoyed, set in bright sketches OF lie
among the Arabs and TokrOoris, and told with
Zest.
Mr.. Bakers diversion into Abyssinia was
along the course of the Atbara and the Settle,
and along the track taken by Mr.. Dufton from
Kartoum over the frontier ground occupied by
these negro settlers, the Tokroori, of whom we
said enough last week when sketching the
course of Mr.. Duftons journey. Mr.. Baker
saw little of Abyssina proper, and did not
come near to the central lake, or the capital of
King Theodore and as he touched Abyssinia
only from the land side, of course he has
nothing to tell about the routes from the Red
Sea to the interior The book is simply to be
read for its own interest, and as it tells of
travel and sport over ground that is only now
being described with accuracy, it has, apart
from its brightness as a lively record of adven-
ture, some geographical interest For Mr..
Baker is a skilled observer, and carries to his
wild sports the taste and knowledge of natu-
ralist. His map of his route indicating the
character of river sources, the tribes and the
animals, and the character of soil in each
region is one that geographers will thank him
for, while also the political economists and
politicians may draw here and there useful
hint from his experience.
On his way over the Nuban desert Sir
Samuel Baker tells how an Egyptian regiment
was once destroyed in it because the men, in
pain of thirst, tempted by mirage, killed the
guide who was leading them Alright and would
not turn out of his course towards phantom
lake, pursued the phantom and to a man were
lost.
Sir Samuel Bakers explorations in the re-
glon OF the Blue Nile and the Atbara, here de-
scribed were made in 1861. AS the great
central Victoria and Albert Lakes maintain the
standard flow of the Nile waters, so, he says,
the rain floods of Abyssinia, poured into the
Nile by the Blue Nile and the Atbara, are the
sources of the annual inundation to which
Egypt owes its fertility.
At the village of Watgel Negur Sir Samuel
found the Arabs still honOring the memory of
the only Englishman who had visited them in
former times, Mr.Mansfeld Parkyns, who, says
our author "has certainly written the best book
on Abyssinia that have ever read" At Wat
ell Negur Sir Samuel had some curious talk
with one of its sheiks. Sheikh Achmet has
his ideas, and the devotees of celibacy, concern
ing whom book has Just been written, had
and have their ideas. Opinions differ.
AN ARABS NOTIONS OF WOMEN.
The sheik laid down the law with great
force, 'that woman was of no use when she
ceased to be young, unless she was a good
strong person who could grind corn and carry
water from the river" in this assertion he
was seconded, and supported unanimously, by
the crowd of Arabs present.
Now it was always common practice
among the Arab women, when they called
upon my wife, to request her to show her
hands; they would then feel the soft palms,
and exclaim in astonishment, "Ah she has
never ground corn ~ that being the duty of a
wife unless she is rich enough to possess
slaves. Sheik Achmet requested me to give
him some account of our domestic arrange
ments in England. did this as briefly as pos
sible; explaining how ladies receive our de-
voted attentions eXtolling their beauty and
virtue, and, in fact, giving him an idea that
England was Paradise, and that the ladies
were angels. described the variety of colors;
that instead of all being dark some were ex-
ceedingly fair; that others had red hair that
we had many bright black eyes, and some
irresistible dark blue; and at the close of
my descriptions, believe the sheik and his
party felt disposed to emigrate Immediately to
the chilly shores Of Great Britain; they asked,
"How far off is your countryP "Well,"
said the sheik, with a sigh, ''that must be a
very charming country; how could you possi-
bly, come away from all your beautiful wives
True, you have brought one with you: she is
of course, the youngest and most lovely; per-
maps those you have left at home are the old
ones ~ | was obliged to explain that we are
contented with one wife, and that, even were
people disposed to marry two, or more, they
would be punished with imprisonment.
This announcement was received with
general expression of indignation; the sheik
and his party, who, few minutes ago,
were disposed to emigrate and settle upon
our shores, would now, at the most, have
yentured upon return ticket. After
some murmurs of disapprobation, there
was a decided expression of disbelief in
my last statement "Why," said the sheik,
''the fact is simply impossible How can a
man be cOntented with one wife 1t is ridicu-
lous, absurd What is she to do when she
becomes old? When she is young, if very
lovely, perhaps he might be satisfied with her,
but even the young must some day grow old,
and the beauty must fade. The man does not
fade like the woman therefore he remains
the same for many years, but she changes in
a few years. Nature has arranged that the
man shall have young wives to replace the
old; does not the prophet allow 1T Had not
our forefathers many wives and shall we
have but one Look at yourself. Your wife
is Young. and' (and here the sheik INDUCED
in com nliments) Hbut in ten years she will