Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-06-19

water. In that eight days march there
was but one well, halt way at Jebel
Shiere, which is one of the last peaks
of the Arabian chain. Up to tins
time the camels had Jared very well
upon the abundant vegetation. But
now they began to suffer owing to the
avarice and improvidence OF their
owners who had neglected to buy
enough grain for them. They had re-
ceived a large amount of money IN
SILVER and had had ample opportun1.,
ties to procure dourah Ga species OF
corn but had failed to do so,
thoug h they knew perfectly well
that they would have to cross
this atmoor. Avaricea and improvidence
are two striking features of the Arab s
character. So the poor animals had to
travel these eight days with only a
very scanty allowance-not the fifth
part of what they required. Soon
they showed SYMPTOMS of exhaustion.
Several gave out, among which the
dromadary, which I had ridden more
than 100 miles. He was a very su-
perior animal. I might have called
him Selim or Hafiz, which would nave
been more oriental and romantic; but
L
convenient and expressive of his wllful
disposition. Two days before reach
ing the Nile, he suddenly came down
on his knees and refused to rise any
more until he was unlOaded. Several
others gave out in the same way. LII
was painful at night to hear the hun
CRY animals roaring IN concert, beng
kept awake by the pangs OF hunger.
Of 111n
the sentinel at headqnarter tent would
discharge his musket about ~ O'Clock
in the morning, and this was the sig
nal for the camel men to saddle ana
pack their animals. But 1t became
slow work now When all was ready
they would move with their usual cry
-"Abdul-go-ab p repeated by one
after another till fairly under way
This is the name of the patron SAINT
of camel drivers. On the Nile, the
boa.men have also their patron saint,
Big-el-nebi, whose name they sing ont
at starting. Well, it was weary and
hard pulling, these last days marches,
but the prospect of reaching the Nile
inspired every one and the animals
seemed to feel it on the last day. Son
solitary dorm- palms began to appear
here and there, gradually becoming
more numerous. Herds Of gaZelles,
fifteen or twenty in number. scamper-
ed off at our approach. Very numer-
Gus ostrich tracks, quite fresh,
crossed the sand i'll every di
rection, and twice we came to
nest where the fragments of numerous
shells showed that a brood had recent
ly been Matched, but we never got
glimpse of the birds. Finally, on the
Sth of March, on rising over the sum-
NIT of Il small sand ridge, We perceiv-
ed the green valley of the Nile with it's
fringe of verdure and palm trees spread
ing out before Us. Need I say now
glad we were once more to behold that
ancient river after SO many months of
wandering through the wilderness.
The Arabs seemed wild with Joy. The
sheikS put out their dromedaries at
full gallop, executing what they call
tunt0sia, and every fellow who carr ed
a gun or pistol fred it off in the air
with shouts of exultation. 1t was this
that we entered -hamed-a small
mud village situated at the bend of
the Nile and deriving its Importance
only from being the central point of
caravans coming from Central Africa,
Darfoor, koodofan, &c. We camped
that day in a garden of lemon and
palmtrees, and / tell you it was a lux
ury to get chickens, eggs, ripe toma-
toes, onions, cucumbers, and fresh,
good wheat bread. But the chief
pleasure at the first moment of arriv-
ing was to drink the delicious Nile
water. All the Arabs rushed to the
river to drink and to wash and as
soon as they were turned loose, the
two hundred and odd camels lined the
bank and drank to their hearts con
tent. Here also, We found some let
tiers and dispatches which contained
none but good news, and made us feel
once more connected with the world
from which we had been so long cut
off.
The day we arrived, Mohammed
kalifa, the principal Slick, who is
now in his own country, gave an album
dant dinner. consisting of about thirty
dishes, among which was a sheep roast
ed whole. The dinner was excellent.
We officers eat together. Then there
was enough for all the soldiers and all
the camel drivers. When it came to
the turn of the latter, they arranged
u,
the kahfa's servants carried the food to
them, while the Kalifa himself with a
grace and courtesy which would have
done credit to any nobleman, circ1ilat-
ed from group to group, speaking
word or two of welcome and eating
Just one monthful with each group.
He IS a man Of great character and in
1luence. Once at Wady Holden, he
slgnltied his intention to leaving us to
go to AssOuan on some important bust
ness, leaving his nephew and the other
Shelks IN charge. The night before
the day he was to leave, the camelmen
all came to his tent and took the
"cath Of triple divorce" that if he left
they would leave also, for they had
confidence only i'll him to lead them
through the Wilderness OF course he
stayed, for the idea of making so
many grass widows was too fearful tc
By the Mussulman law
a man may divorce his wife and take
her back afterwards. But if he divorces
her with what they call the triple di-
vorce, he never can take her back as
his wife again.
CAIRo. May 1G, 1874.
Dcar JOtuna1:-I wrote the pre-
ceedlng pages mostly on the Nile
while coming down. l am glad to say
that we arrived here safeI y and in
good health, without having lost a
man out of the command. We got
here on the It'll and 1 could not close
this letter by that weeks mail; ! send
it by to-day's mail, hoping that it will
reach you safely. [ received many
welcome letters on my arrival here.
and have the JOY of knowing that ali
my family and friends are well. en-
Ioyed very much, looking over the files
Of the JOURNAL. In my next letter ]
will continue my narrative of my
Journey to Berber, and thence down
he Nile, and will try to give you my
Impressions of the magnificent ruins [
VISITED. =! will close by saying that
his morning, all of the officers of the
aXDpGItIOn wpra rnoaIuaI H.