The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-11-22
The Nile.

The sources of the Nile are contained
IN the rain-clouds of the equator, which
pour themselves down on the forest
plateau, form into thousand rivers, and
finally collect in enormous lakes, the
precise number and Importance of which
are yet to be determined From Bakers
Albert Nyanza-the most northerly in
latitude, and lowest in level, of these
inland seas-the Nile runs toward Eu-
rope, and plunges into the Sahara.
From its great equatorial reservoirs it
receives sufficiency of water to main
tain its existence throughout this land of
fire, where all other rivers are speedily
extinguished. But the Nile not only
flows through the Sahara, it also over
flows the flat country lying near its
mouth, and, casting mud ON the surface
of the sand, creates that meadow which
is called Egypt.
Now this black mud does not come
from the lands of the equator; the waters
of the Nile are clear, or arkite and al
though the lakes can keep the Nile alive
in its journey through the desert, they
cannot make it overflow. Whence then
proceed these rich soil-laden and redun-
dant waters to the weary Nile?
On the right-hand side of that flowing
river, between its waters and the Red
Sea, cluster of mountains rises in the
air. These are the Highlands of Ethi-
opia-the romantic Abyssinia, the Swift
zerland of Africa; and down these hilly
slopes, at certain season of the year,
rush two noisy streams-the Blue Oh
Black Nile, and the which.
stripping their country of its black up
per soil, fall into the Nile, and bestow
| upon it such wealth of water, that, as
soon as it escapes from the rocky walls
| which line its course in the Nubiap Des-
ert, it is forced to overflow.
Thus the Nile is created by the rain
fall of the equator, and Egypt by the
rainfall of the tropics. If the White
Nile did not exist, the Black Nile would
be nothing-it would perish in the sand
But if the Black Nile did not exist, the
White Nile would be merely barren
river in sandy plain, with some Arab
encampments on its banks Uinuood
ReaCie's "Af1ican Sketch-book."
~
THE ELECTION OF A PoPE.-As soon
as the Pope dies, says a writer in the
Leisure Hour, the cardinal chamberlain
or camertingO, calls out to him three
times in the presence of several members
of the council, addressing him by his
proper name, cart thou dead?" Then
answering for the deceased, he exclaims.
He is dead!" and taking the fisherman s
ring, as the seal of the Pope is called,
breaks it. The bell of the cal itol is
| tolled, and the news is dispatched to
foreign governments and absent cardi-
nails, which latter are invited to the con-
clave for a new election. While the va
cancy continues, the camerlingo exercis-
es the supreme authority. The cardi-
nails who have been created by the de-
funct pontiff put on as mourning, serge
robes of violet color, while such as
were created by his predecessors wear
green faced with red The dead body is
washed and embalmed, and taken to the
Pauline chapel of the Vatican, where it
is arrayed in the pontiical habits, after
which it is taken to st. Peters and plac-
ed in the Sistine chapel, on a splendid
bed of state, surrounded by burning ta-
pers night and day, and by priests who
pray for the soul of the departed. The
people meanwhile crowd to kiss his feet.
On the ninth day after death the body is
put into a coffin with coronation medals
in gold, silver and brass, to show that
death equals all things. After the fu-
neral ceremonies, the coffin is removed
to church which is said to have been
founded by Constantine the Great, and
there left till it is deposited in the tomb
prepared for it. After the nine days of
funeral rites all cardinals who can pos
sibly be present in Rome meet together
to go into conclave. Before entering,
they visit St Peters, where the mass of
the Holy Spirit is sung, and an Grafton
delivered on the election of a pontlff.
the hymn, "Veni, Creator, is sung, and
certain prayers are rehearsed, and the
bull for the election is read.