The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-21
THE HERALD ON THE NILE.
No. 2.-FrOm Cairo to the
First Cataract.
Scenes, Incidents and Yicissitudes
of the Nile Season.
The Slave Trade on the Nae---A Boat
Full Of Captives at SioOt.
THE GHAWAZEE IN THEIR GLORY.
A Bursted Gun and an Ex-
ploded Imposition.
Doing the Good Samaritan Among
the Egyptians.
Ginieh, Roda, SioOt, Kennah, luxor, Thebes
and ASSOuan.
Reception by the Lieutenant Governor
in the Temple of Esna
Two Giraf5s on Their Way to
the Central Park.
~~>-~~>~~~~~~~~D~~>~~~~~~~~
The Minarets, Mud Huts and
MASnllaa nR EUvnf
Reception by the Lieutenant Governor
in the Temple of Esna
Two Giraff6s on Their Way to
the Central Park.
The Minarets, Mud Huts and
Mosques Of Egypt.
ON BOARD THE NILE DAHABEAH HERALD. !
OFF Ass0uAN FIRST CATARACTh

ON BOARD THE NILE DAHABEAH HERALD,l
OFF AssouAN FIRST CATARACrh
On Saturday, December 80, the Herald's tow, the
viceroy's steamer Tayr Said Happy Brd), put into
the port OF Minieh for coal Three days Of the
Nile above Cairo. winding through sugar planta-
tons. passing the lazy, drone-ike dahabeahs, with
occasional shots at distant and unwilling
game, had made us sigh for shore. But these three
days had been deiciously oalmy aud SOFT and the
very air had been fun OF refreshing, bracng VITAL
Try, laden with the perfumes and vapors from jessa-
mime trees and orange groves
The first $50 miles OF the river to southwark OF
Boulac are. however, comparatively barren OF in.
ierest. Two hours after starting, Pyramids fade
from view and
THE RUINS OF ANCIENT MEMPHIS
are lost beyond the horizon OF the desert, The
quarries OF Mlsaran, the false pyramid, and the
towns OF Bedreshayn Tibbln, Kore Aiat Rigga,
Affect, Gomon and Benisooer points generally
visited by travellers who are making IN accurate
survey OF tue country.
The scenery between Cairo and Mnieh partakes
OF the rchls verdant aud the terribly pald No con-
trasr he more effective than TO the shores Of
the grandest OF rivers lined either side with belt
OF the most productive soil in the world OF an
rage width OF TWO miles, each square foot giving Its
certain unvarylng Weld, each year renewing Its own
perpetual youth, anc then to raise the eye and let
II wander over dreary, sandy waste seemingly
without purpose, history tradition. All the
available territory under cultivation is plain, and
no ground in Egypt can be utilized unless nat
There may be exception to TINS rule In the
flooding Of desert basins; yet even such q case
the seeding OF the soil would have to await the
tedious uncertainty Of evaporation. Thus the wealth
river scenery aud travel finely gradcd-she nae
al .hc nar r,fa
animauon OF tackIng ilDing fishing, shooting
racing ami saluting are matters OF general view
along the broad belt OF the lordly Nile.
Touching the shore we find the mud huts Of
an Arab village the squalid streets OF more preten
tous haDiiailons; the nude native hois ting water
by his ancient shacloof; some lrgid snek exclalm-
ing "Dacksheesh' a tribute TO his years: score
OF SADIE urchins implorlng bread; Coptic priest
crying Tor small donations distant minaret bur-
nished ny the setting sun; the quickening vegeta
ton on the long and narrow plains; the palm and
date trees; and then the mountains Of crumbing
red granite; a small excavation along the slopes the
entrance 10 the buried temples. and, as the eye
speeds OH, those skies which falsely ascrDed
only TO lta:y. Such, In brief, IS Egypt-nOt the
Egypt OF the tourist, but the whole or Egypt There
Is no country IN the world that be completely
covered by the traveller as this one. Not square
acre escapes your observation II you ascend the
Nile to Knartoum ana sail along It's delta branches
TO Alexandria. You ind Its domestic life Its manu-
features and agriculture and this land knows
neither rain snow these strikIngly manifested
TIE STREETS AND FIELDS.
You have once the modern and the ancient, the
fruitful and the barren, and the opportunity OF
examining tie only harmless people who still re-
tain the customs ana manners OF 5000 years ago.
The book is before YOU You have only TO read the
nrst page at Alexandra, ana turn over leaf leaf
as you linger by the cities OF cairo, Minen, Roda,
Thebes, Esna and Assouan, finding its printed chap
tiers In magnificent ruins and Thriving industries
This IL what makes the Nile travel so desirable.
Amid luxury and fne companions you can leisurely
examine all that the land contains within a few
hundred Yards OF your "dahabe Ah," ana there IS
no uncertainty about the temples Their history Is
written IN declpherable hieroglyphcs upon their
columns and panels
Alew mornings ago we visited the famous temple
oil Esna, now completely underground, with a city
built over It's roof. showing, as Its surroundings do,
the deors OF thirty centuries. What Will all that
remains OF the impecunious Manhattanite think
whcn ages hence. In seeking foundation for his
hut his Dick shall strike the spire OF trinity church
or when some Industrious farmer may sink his well
into the parquet or Booths Theatrea This Is put
ting the ancient Egyptian In modern clothes.
All that is delightful In travel is found
ON BOARD TIE NILE "DAHABEAH.r
fts d0mcstcity Is neat and inviting, It's interio
police OF sufficient character induce method with
out fatigue and perfect order without extravagant
disorder Your guns are In the aTmory, your medi.
cines In the dispensary ana each servant responds
10 mis- particular call OF the whistle The crew IL
distinct In It's kind from all others
It consists Of twelve men-black Nubians-abe.
bodied and, OF course indolent Up TO this hour
they have manifested great industry at meals and
singular solicltude for their stores. But, with Q
steamer to tow US, they have had little duty put
upon them, ana this accounts for that soiree which
commences near sunrise on the forecastle and con-
tinues I'LL 1t becomes no longer a misnomer. The
Refs il the Captain-hIs Arabian name. He Is
pendence OF bearing that woud NJ him for a mar.
yr-a disposition oil his person we are often inclined
to make. lie came TO Colonel Butler several days
ago and laid before him the rights VI his mucn In.
Jured crew. that they were entitled 10 tamDourlne,
q tom-tom and twelve sticks TO beat the natives
price all told S3-alI VI which were duly provided.
THE MUSICAL CIRCLE
Is thus formed:-Tbe twelve arrange themselves IN
ring and Sit forward, just abau the galley, each
squattng on his legs In true Turkish torpidity The
least begins with The tapping OF the tom tom, by an
eloerly man. OF simple, bearded counteDance, who
Ianpourlne, which, catching the lever, enlists the
rest 10 an Imitation OF Methodist hymn, something
IKE the measure u
Prom 0reenland's ICY mountains,
Abd lndias coral strand.
1be langushng closing of their eyes: the swaylnQ
81 their bodies In unison: the resigned manner n