The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-08


/ pleasanter In the world. Although accustomed to
horsemanship do not think that the camel Is as
speed Of the Camel, When he walks, is two and o
half miles an hour; on . trot, five; and he can be
| beaten into ten miles an hour.
1t was on the third day that we began to ap-
proach the shores OF
I MIRAGE SEAS
These atmospheric phenomena on the Nubian
desert are not only very perfect limitations of the
real lakes, but have In past times nveiged people
away to perish from heat and thirst. During the
| reign Of Said Pacha when a body OF troops was
| crossing the DESERT stricken with terrible thirst,
they beheld few miles OF an apparent lake, over
and shrubbery. In defiance OF orders, and though
told that 1t was an Illusion they broke ranks and
and chasing it, though it receded with the pace OF
their approach, they at last sank down from their
ili-spent efforts and died. A mirage breaks the
Throughout the nth OF January we were seemingly
almost encompassed by this imponderabe mirror
| 1t reflected the rocks mountains and stray mlmosa
trees and reproduced, by inverted image every
prominent object Of the extended landscape. BY
two O'Clock me mirage nad inc Diae Of posaea
/ away from the craggy bluffs AS looked ahead
from the saddle OF my camel could see the wither-
ing heat radiating from the sands, Illuminated by
the SUMS glare rising from the bed OF the desert in
! ripping waves and forming this wonderful erect
within few yards OF our cames and gave motion
to every object within its area One line OF rocks
stretching before me at distance OF 200 yards
| kept common time and looked like a regiment or
men marching Off the field In line of battle. And
thus even are the vast wastes furnished with the
semblance of ana peopled with the semblance OF
men. When started from Cairo made it point
to buy some green goggles, to break the monotony
diversity in the scenes have described The tenn
perature during the first three days did not exceed
eighty-six degrees, at two ?. M, and the lowest
was forty-twO degrees, during the nights which
were cold This registered heat, however, in the
desert Is far different from the same figure else,
through "rhe Gate Of the Desert" and the guide
shouted, "Abdl-el-Kaadr" God save the camesl, q
stock ejaculation, and by bogus cemetery full OF
bogus graves. 1t was (and is now. for aught
know the custom of the Sheik of the Desert to
demand "bakshsh' for passing this portal; and
il 1t were not paid he would brighten the traveller
by digging his grave and assuring him that 1t would
soon be his last resting place. We were not thus
troubled. We passed on to the plain and stopped
the sea without water). Jackal tracks and
gether with wagon tracks were the only signs
of travel. The camel path, however, was well
worn by constant treadng and only MY over
tracks, we came to the conclusion were those
made by the transportation Of the stores sent up
for Sir Samuel Baker in 1870; indeed, we were so
informed by the guide. During our third days
march, however, we stopped at great rock,
failed to find water The names Of several travel
lers unknown to fame were written or sculptured
in the rock.
On the 18th of January we started out with
walk, as had been our custom In the mornings
Korosko, laden With ivory p and gum Let counted
during the day, over ten caravans and six hundred
cames. 1t is the custom over this route to leave
any merchandise that cannot be further trans
ported because the camels break DOWN directly
on the highways, and no one dsturbs it. Bales
cotton and sacks OF gum were often pointed out,
s'THEY HAVE BEEN THERE FOR YEARS."
In the afternoon we sought the shade OF rocky
oil tim in and had m unch nv no pQ areas "a
of dead camel. We then remounted and rode on
through an appalling heat The sun was right In
great bali of fire but few yards distant Our boots
began to tighten, and the leather at length con-
tracted so much that they were painful to wear
OUR NOSES BEGAN TO BLOSSOM,
and our faces to peel, while our lips were so
scorched and cracked that even to speak was &C.
companied with suffering. We had all INDUCED In
greasng our faces and had at lunch, in spirit Of
economy used the Oil of sardine box for anoint
ing lips and Ada to these ed tile trials TRIALS
acter of the journey may be understood. A semi
blindness also clouded the eyes, and slight dizzi
our camels through this furnace until sundown
when we applied fresh grease to our parched faces
and then slept, near a range OF pyramdal noun
tains.
On the 10th inst. we set out for the Moorad Wells,
which lay behind distant range, bearing nearly
south. About noon we entered narrow valley,
where many mimOsa trees were growing Among
the hills to westward of this valley Is the only rain
water well yet discovered in the DESERT and u
portion OF our baggage camels had set out that
morning early to refill their SKINS The appear
ance of the desert at this point indicates
= THE PRESENCE OF VAST QUANTITIES or WATER
nor rees gu e nn most ara bae
and the rains which have fallen, perhaps for ages,
in this vicinity have descended among these hills.
reservoirs formed by the closer qualification OF
the rock Thus the whole region may be called
THE GRAND FILTER OF NORTHERN AFRICA,
which may be utilized by future populations.
What can be done with a waste that has so many
ready advantages as the Nubian Desert In former
letters have described how, by irrigation from the
Nile its dried up water courses may be filed and
by transverse canal systems everv one of its ex
tensive pateaus may become verdant fields. This
achieved, there is abundant building stone for
houses, though mud seems to satisfy the ambition
of the modern Egyptians; or the inhabitants
elevations OF the rocky ridges, as they still do
along the Loire There are now over
FORTY THOUSAND ABABDAH ARABS
who nhabit the desert between Korosko and
Shendy. They are savage when called to arms,
but peaceful under the present Viceroy They are
very black, and in physique and formation OF the
head resemble the North American Indian. They
keep their hair long and nayed out like the dancing
dervishes Of Cairo, particularly the Bicherines.
Wearing humoose-a garment which conceals only
the obnoxious anatomy OF man-they sustain life
with few dates and by such nutrition as can be
found in camel's milk They are armed with spears
broad two-edged swords and generally bear Shield
made from the hide of rhinoceros. They are
made of palm-tree mating more liberal spirit
pervades their religion than Is characteristic Of
tne EGYPTIAN. Ihey DO not ven their wives. l
should Judge they are contented people. They
are as far above our Indians in fidelity and frater
nifty as one race can be above another.
We were at three O'Clock on the 10th four days
from korosko. We met during the afternoon a
caravan bearing the ivory and gum OF the American
Consular Agent at Khartoum. Wepassed the greet
ings and demanded,
"WHEEE Is BAKER Yf
"ie Is sixty days from Khartoum."
''Where? ~
''On the GarZchal River
''What Is he doing there ?"
Building settlement and annexing lands"
This made about the tenth person we had inter-
rogated about Baker since leaving Cairo, and every
one had told a different story, had given him diff
ferent situation and had ascrbed to him different
purpose. AS to Livingstone IL were worse than idle
to ask any native trader of his whereabouts for
his name Is utterly unknown In this country.
venture to say that Sir Samuel Baker himself Is the
only man at present in Ethiopia who knows DR..
Livingstone even by reputation. Upon
APPROACHING MOORAD
we were met by an escort under command OF the
Sheik Of the Wells the venerable Mahomet Ashed.
The troopers were mounted upon feet-f0oted
dromedaries were bareheaded, almost barebodied