Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-06-26

| those that have but one are peSo w.
cause the ceilings are between n1teen
and twenty feet high. The doors and
| windows are always turned towards
the North, whence come all the re-
freshing breezes, and they are pro-
tected by broad portlco. Ihese
houses have glass windows and regu-
lar slat shutters made just like ours,
brought of course from Alexandria
and Cairo. While in Berber we were
kuuartered in very spacious house
with enormously thick walls, and we
we're almost too cool, though five de-
orees and half within the topics. by
| fhe way. it was at Berber that got
the best view of that remarkable con-
| stellation called the Southern Gross,
| which struck the ancient navlSators OF
| the 18th and 18th centurle. with adj
| miration and religious awe. 1t is com
| posed of stars of the first magnitude
| and its form is expressed by its name.
| Around the house we stayed III was
! one of the most beautiful garden OF
| trees that I ever saw; Palms, granite,
! lemon. fig and orange planted IN rows
| and affording dense shade-the whole
watered hy a Sakieh just outside the
wall. The water flows into ditch
which passes under the wall and IS
distributed all over. In this garden
are myriads of small birds about the
size Of rice birds, and half a dozen
| different kinds of beautiful doves.
The sakieh is worked by three reliefs OF
| oxen. of one pair each and it keeps NOV
ing about sixteen hours day, bringing
water from we'll supplied by the in
filtration of the Nile through the soil.
The black boy who drives the oxen IS
a study and afforded US much amuse-
ment. He generally sits on the beam
| to which the oxen are yoked and he
sings from morning to night, making
all sorts of funny antics. The sakleh
is much frequented, especially at sun
down by the village women who come
to fill their water jars. Many boys
come down also, but not to draw water
which is exclusively feminine occu-
patton. These boys surround the
monarch of the sakieh and evidently
envy his eminent position, being but
too glad when he descends from his
throne and lets one of his courtlers
drive the team for while. Happiness
is but relative, and | have no doubt
that this savage African boy without
any garment at all beside breech-
cloth, is happier than many man
whom the world envies.
While at Berber we paid a very
pleasant visit to an Abyssinian lady,
really worthy of the name. They call
her Litta Miriam, which means the
Lady Mary The Abyssinians, you
know, are Christians, though extremely
barbarious ones, and one of the Gus
toms prevailing among them is to sell
| their female children rs slaves, like
tue Circassians and Georgians. These
| females are priced for their beauty,
and, Judging from Litta Miriam, they
are nearly white. Her history is this:
Some twenty or thirty years ago a
Frenchman named Lafarge went to
Berber and engaged in the ivory, gum
and probably also the slave trade. He
made a fortune and was appointed
Consul for France at Berber. Being
in want of a wife he purchased the
Litta Miriam and made her his lawful
spouse, according to the prevailing
custom of the country. Some years
ago he died, and she has continued his
commerce. She is very wealthy and
| conducts extensive operations III ivory
and gum; and she seemed to be uni
versally respected by all classes. Some
year or two after her husbands death,
| the Lieut.. Governor of Berber, a Turk,
became enamored of her and expressed
| his admiration, but in a way she did
not like. So she asked him, how could
| she. Christian, marry him, Mussul-
man. Thereupon he became dis
respectful ~ his address. She
| left the room, eallel her servants,
! of whom she has many. and made
| them apply to him such a dressing
with courbashes as he will remember
all his life. The courbash is terri
BILE ''cowhids" as we might call it,
but it is made of hippopotanus hide,
which is upwards of one inch in thick
ness. A strip of it is cut and rounded
off at the handle, then gradually
tapered to fine point, making a whip
about four or five feet long, stiff and
elastic at the same time, like whale
bone. The Lieutenant Governor went
to complain to his chief who told him
he had been served just right and who
dismissed him from his place.
! Well, in order to see the Litta AIiri-
am we had to send a note expressing
our desire to call On her and request
ing her to fix the time, for she insists
upon etiquette. Last year an Ameri-
can officer having called without no
tlce or introduction was very properly
refused admittance. She fixed the
next day in the afternoon and sent for
us donkeys richly caparisoned, which
is the aristocratlc mount OF that coun-
| try. We were ushereG into square
enclosure containing most beautiful
| garden and at one side, the house. We
entered a very spacious room with a
ceiling at least twenty feet high, great
windows with ssshes, blinds and cur
ta.ns, reaching to the tioog. The furni-
ture consisted of divans, chairs and
| two large genuine American cane
bottonel rockingchairs. There were
also looking glas ,es, tables, &C., all of
European Manufacture. Presently the
Litta Miriam entered, dres sed in a
silk dress of European fashion, but of
very large Dolly Warden pattern. She
wore a veil over her mouth and chin,
leaving all the upper part of her face
uncovered She saluted us with much
grace, and all heli gestures, manners,
&c, were those of refined lady. She
is light brunette with those magnif-
cent black eyes which only the South
| ern races possess, and she would be
considered a handsome woman any
where. Her nose is extremely pretty,
having Just the slightest aquilne
curve. She must be forty, but does
not look to be thirty. Her figure is
tall and elegant; her hands were dyed
at the finger tips with henna, which
produces a bright orange color and is
used by all Eastern women. For
nearly an hour we congersed very
agreeably, through our staff captain
as interpreter. Delicious lemonade
and sherbet were served in rich cups,
and afterwards coffee and pipes. FL
naily we took our leave, very much
pleased will orr visit. On the next
day. as etiquette wonld not permit
her to invite us to dine with her, she |
sent us a splendid dinner already |
cooked, in which figured magnificent |
turkey.
Having received our final orders,
and being supplied with new set of |
camels, we left Berber On the End of
April. While in that place, sent you
two.long letters, which / hope reached |
safely. Our faces were nov f11rp oil