Wilmington journal., 1874-07-17
DEAR Journal


after crossing tie dreary desert be-
tween that place and Abou-hamed.-
From Korosco, the whole character of
the Journey was completely changed.
No more camel riding on the sandy
plains with the broiling sun pouring
down upon lis and the mirage beguil-
more halts under the vertical sun OF
MONDAY, either on the bare plain or IN
the cool caves of the rocks. No more
canvas roof over us at night, with the
stars peeping curiously through the
many holes produced by hard usage,
and no more waking up long before
dawn by the musket shot of the scntl-
mel, the cries Of camel drivers and the
roarings Of the camels.
Our trip was now continued by
dahabeahs, floating lazily down the
placid Nile. TO begin, let me explain
what is dahabeah. 1t is something
like canal boat, with deck and a
cabin aft. We had four to take down
our party from Lorosko to tie first
cataract, where We had to change. The
one which carried the officers and our
attendants was about one hundred feet
long and contained several rooms.-
The boat we had below the first cata-
rack was still larger. Near the PROV
rises q stout mast which stands about
twenty-five or thirty feet above the
deck. Swung obliquely to the top OF
this mast is the enormous yard, one
hundred feet or more in length, to
which is bent the huge latcon sail,
which, from the most remote antiqu-
ty, has been the characteristic rigging
of tho Mediterranean, the Red Sea
and the adjoining waters. 1t is very
picturesque. Many dahabeahs carry
another mast aft, much smaller and
having a small yard and sail Of the
same pattern. To see a dahabeah and
especially a number of them all sail
ing with tightened canvass :Irider
spanking breeze up the Nile, j. q very
beautiful sight and VIC enjoyed it Of
ten. In fact much too often for oIlr
advantage, for the breeze which was
SO uniformly good for going mp the
Nile, way just the reverse for us who
wanted to go down. as I mentioned
in previous letters, the prevailing
winds in this country are noriherly,
and in fact it would not be ha!)itable
otherwise. The few days that the
southerly winds blow during the Kan
seen season are almost irtolerabio.
We were travelling just in the hamsecn
season, but tie sOutherly wind blew
only one day [ believe while We we're
coming down the Nile. We had there
fore to pull down, and it was hare:
work for the crew, and hard tlial for
our patience; for 50 etg0NG Is th"
northerly wind and so grv1t IS the
surface exposed to it by the dahaheah
with their lofty poOps an,; cabins,
that it is frequently impossible to row
down at MI. Frequently we had to
tie up to tho bank for eight and ten
hours at n time, being unable 10 move
one foot even with the aid cf the cur
rent. To aGl variety to tile naviga-
ton we were frequently stuck on II
sand bank, when Ell the crew would
jump overheard and shove and push
for three or four hours perhaps, be
fore getting off. This latter difficulty
is peculiar to the low stag ii the Nile,
from March till the beginning of June.
The only power available tor going
down is that of oars. The banks are
not adapted to towing and the hou:,... i
of shadoofs and sakceahs c,nplrvc,ifs =
irrigation would obstruct the passage
of Il tow rope except at the lowest
water. We had ten rowers, each hand
pieces Of timber, and we'll balanced
upon boom projecting along the
sides of the beat. PIanks forming an
inclined plane are laid down for the
rowers to walk upon, and tIIey move
the oars by walking up the plank
about four steps, letting the oar dip
and walking back, pulling the same
distance. This they keep up for two,
three and even four hours at time
taking resting spells when they come
to places favorable for drifting. Their
labor is enlivened by songs of slow.
sad and monotonous rythm, which are
not devoid of charm, especially ut
night, while the moon is beamino over
the waters. One of the men sings q
lIne, and the rest reply with O chorus.
Ihey have quite variety of songs,
but all OF the same general character
All Arab music is entirely devoid Of
harmony. No matter how many sing
ers or players on various Instruments
perform together, they ell sing and
play the air itself without any second
base, alto on any other part. This |
gives to their music very harsh char |
acter, unpleasant to cultivated cars
ont the Arabs are very fond of it and |
prefer it to European music. Yet the |
Arabs can learn to perform the latter |
7ery creditably. The military bands
yhlch play daily in the garden Of the
lsbekieh are composed Of common
old1erS, and [ have been told that
hey learn in very short time. These
'ands play selections from the best
'peras quite as well rs any European
Military bands. have often heard
hem play American airs, among
theirs, Yankee Doodle and Dixie.
10 return to the dahabeahs. the
verage speed accomplished viii e
loving is about two and n half miles
er hour. After we had been on the
oats for some days it became some ,
hat tiresome. 1t is true We were in
lie shade all day, could sleep as long ,
we pleased. had plenty of delicious !
ater, besides fresh bread, vegetables, c
5gs, chickens, &C., all OF which S
lngs don't grow on the desert But !
le prospect of six hundred miles of
lat KIND OF navigation made us uIn70t \
gret the dromadaries which were +
1t oDi1ged to tie up to a sand bank n
hen the wind blew hard. :,
lime and patience overcome nlI q
lngs. In three days and n half. we il
1t down to the first cartaract. passing 4
our way n number of ruined u
mples which would be considered k
onderful if there We're not SO many O
hers OF greater magnitude. O.
At seven in the morning. Anril a.
tn, we landed at Philn, above the q
st cartaret. Its temple and ruins tt
justly considered as among the ia
ost remarkable in all Egypt. We re
preached the island of Phile in q
rection just the opposite of the q,
aai one, for we were coming down oy
river, while tourists and travellers as
ne from below. The island is some st
= or six miles above the town of I'll
>"'i"ln, and the first cataract is o eli
IS OF rapids between those two tn
nes. Our boats went little below of
opposite Phila and DISCHARGED on
baggage, &C., while we were visit te1
the ruins. These are considered st,
rather modern, their most ancient TT
'tlon dating back only some 400 ext
lrs before Christ. Tie princinaI III.
ldlng is the temple of Isis. com mf
need by Ptolemy Philadelphus 25O tIt
RS b. C., and continued by his sue are