New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-20

FROM ALEXANDRIA TO CAIRO BY RAIL.
WATERING PLACES FOR ENGINEs--THE CAPITAL OF A
LARGE AGRICULTURAL REGIoS-CRossING THE
NILE-ARRIvALAT CAIRO.
IFRoM A REGULAR CORRESPONDENT THE TRBUSE.l
CAIRO March l6.-The old route from Alexandria
TO Cairo, by steam or sail, along the Mahmoudish
Canal to Atfeh and up the Rosetta arm of the Nile,
is thing of the past. Instead of twelve hours on
the steamer OF three to six days dahabyeh, the
express trains make theintervening 100 miles in
exactly four hours and half and carry the traveller
across the rich inland levels of the Delta, which he
never saw in former years. All authorities, guide
books included, warn you s0lemnly against taking
the ordinary trains, on the ground that they never
obey the timetable and may be delayed for hours on
the wav For us, however, the express was too
mnctual because too fast did not consider an
additional hour and half any too much for an en-
tirely new route and not particularly satisfied
when the predictions proved false and the train
kept its exact time.
At the Alexandria station, large dusty building
beyond the canal there was certainly, at the start
an atmosphere of great repose and indifference The
ticket-seller at the open window counted gold
pieces for about five minutes before attending to
nv demand, and the officials in the baggage-roOm
discussed variety of topics while weighing and
fare is a little less than So, which, with franc for
baggage, is not an excessive charge. dozen per-
sons were gathered in the shabby waiting-room,
while the native passengers third and fourth-class
came forth as a large multitude from their separate
den The fret and secOnd-class cars were made
after the English model, the former with comfort
able leather seats but no curtains to the windows
The conductor and his subalterns spoke English,
with a smattering of French and Italian. Every
one connected with the train seemed to be loungng
about the platform, moving slowly, speaking gently
and apparently coveting an opportunity for a
good nap There was noise the
locomotive neither whistled nor snorted I;
only bell with very lazy clapper struck once or
twice somewhere and, at the appointed minute, the
train slid almost noiselessly out of the station
From first to last indeed there was less jarrng and
sound than upon any other railway have ever
travelled The track, almost perfectly level and
with few curves, rests on a low embankmeDt of the
elastic aluval soil, into which the rails kept
from sinking by using broad iron in place of
sleepers.
For the first twenty-five miles. between Lake
Mareotis on the right and the canal the left there
is little to be seen. Water and reeds, sandy shores
in the distance wild ducks and pelicans. and con-
gregations of storks in the marshes, on the
one hand on the other scant fields of wheat
and barley. pastures where horses and buffaloes
Craze clumps of tamarisk palm, and, bounding all
like very dirty frame TO a simple but sunny pic
ture the banks of the canal. above which you some
times the curved and pointed top of lateen sail
Every haf-mile or Whereabouts, wherever there is
little mound rising few feet above the nundatable
soil you see Fellab village, resembling nest of
mud-wasps, magnfed, with lean chickens and
children scratching about in the sum- and a woman
or two carrying water from the neighboring pool.
The first two stations were little more than water
ingplaces for the engines; but even there we found
water-carrers with their porous earthen jars. and
vendors of oranges and sugar-cane clamOrng for
custom. The names of the places were not called
ont but an assistant conductor, who scented back
sbeesh in the distance and spoke little English
nrivately announced them to u.s. native attend
a,t with a large dinner-bell on his shoulder was
ALWAYS on hand grave and responsible TO give the
signal for departure. Yet although We halted every
70 miles making leisurely and friendly call in each
instance our running speed was between % and 80
miles an hour.
Once having rounded the eastern end OF Lake
Mareotis the road turns TO the southwark, ana en-
ters the broad triangular region of kower Egypt
The near marshes and the distant ridges OF sand are
no Longer ssea dslds ot cotton Reans wheat bar