The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-08
The Crossing OF the Nubian Desert
The Herald Correspondent En- Route
GO SOlm SIT Samuel Baker.

~ SOAn Slr samuel Baker,
we publish on another page of this morn
lngs issue another letter from the HERALD
correspondent sent out to join the expedition
OF Sir Samuel Baker in the interior of Africa.
The communication is dated at Berber, and is
most interesting in details of travel up the
Nile and adventures during the crossing of the
Nubian Desert About the middle of january
the party accompanying the HERALD CORE
spondent disembarked from the Nile boat
Herald and prepared to set out from Korosko
for Berber. Between the two points lay the
Nubian Desert, and this had to be crossed It
was task not easy of accomplishment to
those unaccustomed to the fierce heat and
burning sands of interior Africa. Yet the
duty had to be attempted, and the attempt Sc
cured the successful achievement of the under
taking. After twenty-four hours stay at Ko-
rosko the cavalcade, consisting of the HERALD
correspondent and party Of American gentle
men, and fifty camels, forty-two donkeys and
nineteen servants, started, amid the wondering
gaze of the sparsely- clad Koroskoans, on it's
perilous journey. Before the adventurous
party lay the dreary waste which had to be
crossed ere halt could be made.
Entering the northern gate of the desert,
about half o mile outside the town,
the prospect presented was as bleak and as
barren as can well be imagined. Hills of
dark rock, deep ravines, paved with fallen
boulders shifting sands and the remains of
dead camels met the eye on every side.
Scenery of this description was anything but
cheering. At the close of the first day out
the party halted and went into camp for the
nights shelter. The gossip during that night
consisted chiefly of the achievements of those
who on former occasions crossed this desolate
waste. The difficulty of the task deters
travellers from attempting it. 1t is truly
no thoroughfare for Europeans or Americans.
The strongest constitutions in most cases sue
cumb to the effects of the intense climate.
Some idea of the rigors of the journey may be
formed from the fact that on several occasions
this desert highway was closed to travel by the
Egyptian government on account of the terri
BILE loss of life to those who attempted it. In
years gone by Said Pacha accomplished the
journey and made himself acquainted with the
rich regions which lie beyond yet he, the first
and only Egyptian Viceroy who undertook the
task, prohibited the passage of the desert.
AS time wore on and the demands Of
commerce became greater the path was
again reopened, and at this day the
travelled desert highway in the world All
along the route, according to the information
forwarded us by our correspondent, caravans
laden with gum ivory, and other products of
the Soudan, were passed, bearing their rich
freights to Korosko. The remains of camels
which had persisted in the journey bore testi-
mony to the intensity of the heat. The faith
full animals, inseparable from desert travel in
the East fall prey to its influences. Some
estimate of the annual traffic may be had
from the statistics furnished by the HERALD
correspondent, which show that over one hun
dred thousand camel loads of rich freight are
brought across the Nubian highway every
year. Yet with all the hardships of the jour
ney, it is not without it's attractions. Life on
the desert is not devoid Of interest and the
sufferings undergone by travellers are fire.
quently forgotten in the strange and varied
scenes which meet their gaze. The third day
out brought the American cavalcade to the
shores of the mirage seas of the desert. One
Of these extraordinary atmospheric phe-
nomena is described in the letter of our CORE
spondent. The night of the third day was
passed at Bahr bella Ma (the Sea Without
Water). At the Moorad Wells the party re-
plenished their water skins and pushed
on for their destination. Various caravans
were Intercepted regarding Sir Samuel
Baker, but oil the answers received
were about as varied as are those gene
rally given to travellers making inquiries on
the road. Before approaching the Moorad
Wells the Sheyk Mahomet, or the Sheyk of the
Wells, as his title goes, joined the party and
treated the members with Oriental considera-
ton. Parting with the desert chief, some dis
lance further on, the Sheyk Mahomet Hasseen
was encountered, and at his solicitation the
party accepted the hospitality of his palace.
One hour from Berber the United States Con-
sui at Khartoum came out to welcome
the travellers, and close behind was the
Governor of Berber, who accompanied by
his equerries, had hurried forth to greet his
visitors and invite them to his palace.
As may be supposed, the Americans were not
sorry that the haven for which they started
was near at hand, for passage over four hum
dred miles of burning sand is not such as one
would care to prolong. Berber was reached In
safety, and the Arab hospitality of the venera-
BILE Governor banished all recollection of the
dangers experienced on the trip across the
desert
The STREET CLEANING BUREAu.-Instruc-
tons have at last been issued to the Super
intendent Of the Street Cleaning Bureau to
set his department vigorously to work on
Monday next 1t is time that action should
be taken, as the state of some of the streets in