The New York herald., 1870-04-24

can get very much higher up either the gris or the
Eupnrates than any other boats prssemms m "ai
despatch mail boats 10 run up all the way 10 sai,s,
near AleppO; but even they draw more inan the
THE sHEIKH AS A CAPITALIST
This parsonage 49, OF course the great CAPITALIST OF
the district; but the justice OF his administration ana
the uberanty with which he receives all new comers
are attracting many small traders ana cuitlvators TO
settle u his territories se oSammeran c,tc M
an important Town. even II u does not seriously
rival Bnssorah. 1t Is slnguary wei adapted &C any
rate 10 absorb the trade OF very large portion OF
Persia: and there Ii chance that 1t may even
become what Bussorah Is now the eatrep0t for the
trade OF a the people who 1--we on the Tigrs ana the
Eaphrales It Is more conveniently sltualed than
Bussorah; It has equally good anchorage for ships.
In ac ns ana o .y nG asS snnscfs y mat - y d pe
probably have to pay double customs duties. But II
the Sheikh can persuade his government to make 1t
moved. 1t Is doubtful however if the Persian gov
ernment could even grasp 80 sublime a conception.
AZ which port the Indian steamers stop, in common
with all European vessels trading to Turkish Arabia
~ prosperous little city OF some 1000 or 10000
commerce and possessed several universities, but
just before Its revival twenty thirty years ago 1t
mad dwindled down TO the iast stage OF decay. or
late years. however, the bazaars have been rebuilt,
steam lines now connect it with India and with Bag
dad and every year II grows larger ana more pros
porous. But there is one great drawback TO its
progressit IL not built facing on TO the river, but
is situated on the banks OF little creek, which Is
food tide for weeks together when there is bad
season and the river sinks below its usual level
This OF course, is very awkward, as gooas have to
be carried three or four miles by and before they
reach their destination. In European or American
town, blessed with roads which are passable Ior
vehicles this distance would be nothing; but here
In The East. where wheeled conveyances are never
seen, because the streets are too narrow and too
uneven TO allow OF them, IL IA serious matter TO
have to pack goods on q mules back In fact, the
packing Is more trouble than the distance which
the goods have to be carried As city Bussorah
n hQ rQ
instead OF streets, square mud brick houses, WITH
nat roofs, and, IN the business quarter, long lines
six feet square by brick partitions. The principal
export trade OF Bussorah consists Of wheat dates
goods ana all sorts OF little knck. .gnacks such as
lamps beads, false stones, cigarette papers, pipe
bowls and so forth.
From BussOrah up the river to Bagdad there are
two competing steamship lines, one OF them owned
by English corporation and the latter maintained
by the Turkish government. the former was started
in 1861 by Messrs Lynch Co.. the pioneer European
firm In Bagdad ana mas been eSsremey
which goes far to pay the working expenses, ana
there Is large and steady passenger tra1ic III Per-
sian pilgrims, who are making the "haj'' TO kerbea,
the site OF the tomb Of the santed Husseln. Full
freights at more or less remunerative rates can
always be obtained. The pecuniary success OF the
line became SO notorious, indeed, tnat the Pacha
OF Bagdad resolved to start an opposition. The
first or the Turkish steamers was brought out a
couple OF years ago. and now the fleet has been
increased TO three. Owing to bad management,
however 1t is said the line has barely paid expenses
and Its rival has far kept Its position rs first
tavOrite with shippers and passengers Lynch IL Co.
have only couple OF boats, the City OF London and
the Dsleh, out they manage to keep up service OF
three tripsa O month each way. OF course European
going up the river would find the English boats
twenty dollars and there s further charge OF 81 80
day for messing with the captain. The dis
tNnce from Bussorah to Bagdad by the river
IS about 500 miles, The time OF the journey,
owing to the diiiicultes OF navigation, varies
greatly When the river Is high. three days up and
a day and a half down are The usuai passages; but
when 1t Is low the boats sometimes take SIX or seven
days to get up and couple OF days down. The
boats are OF very shallow draught with horizontal
beam. When deeply laden they only draw four feet
In external appearance they are miniature copies OF
American river boats, less the walking beam. All
the cabins are on dec1, ana their roof serves as
sort OF platform which Is occupied by the deck pas
sengers. The first class cabIns are large and COM
fortaoe, but are not provided with bedding. Taken
as q whole the boats are far better than the Eng
lish steamboats, on the Australian rivers, such as
the Darling aud the Murray. II strikes one strangely
though to see river steamer on the Euphrates.
How the ghost OF ''Nebuchadnezzar, the king"
must STARE as he watches these crowded noisy
wooden houses passing swiftly up the river against
the four mile an nour current
Your correspondent took passage In the Dijileh.
which is commanded by one Of the Oldest European
residents III Bagdad, Captain Holland, John Bun
OF the best type-stout, red faced good tempered,
sound hearted, with CHEEKY voice and genial
smile. IL is now thirty years since the captain mas
been IN England during which time he has served
In the Persian war and most OF the other naval
scrtmmagcs which the Indian government mas
been involved. He first came up the Euphrates
with Colonel Chesneys exploring expedition, and
seeing the opportunities OF trade afforded by steam
navigation on tile river conceived the idea Of the
present company, Of which he Is one OF the prin-
cipai shareholders. He says that he has no desire
whatever 70 return to England; all ms friends are
dead, and he has lately been married Tor tue second
tune TO q Bagdadee girl.
captain Holland has an endless stock OF adven-
lures ana stories with which to beguile the tedlum
OF the voyage. One favorite story is that OF an
American captain named Dunlop VINO, about ten ten
name OF which Is now forgotten. He brought her 70
Bussorah and managed TO sell her to a native mer-
chant for about hall her value. He then departed
for Beyrout overland, having borrowed CAPTAIN Ho-
lands servant, saddle and travelling blankets. The
chiet mate who was supposed to be an accomplice
IN the swindle, left with him, but foOsnly allowed
the captain TO hold the money. Arrived at Beyrout,
the latter decamped suddenly, leaving his partner
In the lurCh-that is to say, destitute or single
tesittck Captain Holland thinks Dunlop the most
accomplished villain he ever saw, only" as the
content with all the money he mad got by the sale
the ship, he tried 10 steal my saddle and blankets.
shin and claimed them" After the captain mad
lalry got away the snip was recovered oy the Amet
Consul aG Bombay, and 1t transplred that on the
voyage up the gulf the captain had quietly thrown
two Of the native crew into the sea. The men had
suddenly disappeared and were supposed TO nave
fallen overheard, but when the captain turned out
to be such au arrant rogue he credited with hav
ing murdered them. The poor native who pur
chased the vessel was ruined. saw him in Busso
rab, and when the captain told him l came from
New York he looked AT me very suspic0usy. I'm
fortunately Captain Dunlop ls almost the only Anne
people so ignorant and suspicious as the Arabs it
Will be nard for any American trader VINO may come
up here IN the future 10 make them believe that all
Americans are not Dunlops.
There Is another story OF the captains Of much
more curious character. All properly educated per-
sons have read the ARABIAN Nights,n and
member without difficulty that once on a time in
Bagdad three kings sons all bind OF one eye, met
at the house of certain three ladies. WE'LL there
recently lived Il lady in Bagdad-a Eur0pean-wno
was 80 impressed by this story that she only engaged
one-eyed servants And she mad Just three servants
A few months ago she went down TO Bombay with
these domestics In her train. one can imagine q
man watching her and her household, and, on hear
ing that she had come from Bagdad, suddenly
dreaming that he had dropped back into 900 years
ago and that the lady was either Annie or Zobeide
wnie the creatures following her were trinity OF
kings sons all blind OF an eye.
Just after leaving Bussorah the boat stops Mar
Gill ABOUT four miles higher up the river. Here is
The British Residency, an immense building, with
enormous grounds. The Restdency however, is
only rented by the government; the land belongs to
Lynch h Co., VINO hope in time to make good thing
OF 1t. About six months ago agent OF the French