Wilmington journal., 1874-01-23

days march, for it would be rnonoto-
nous, although something of interest
would spring up every day. The only
trouble we had was tho bad water for
water of any kind WAS very scarce at
that time of the year. About sundown
we would halt and camp for the night,
and the nights were always cool and
pleasant. The air of the desert is
always perfectly dry, and the eyapora-
ton of water is prodigious. This pro-
cured US from midnight till morning,
water almost as cold as ice water. [
had purchased ia Cairo a leather
water-bottle, holdingabout two gallons.
After few days use all leather taste
disappears. During the day, hangingat
the cantle of my saddle the water would
become mtolerably warm. But as
soon as night came I had it hung out
side of the tent. The evaporation
taking place on the outside would ah-
stract the heat from the inside, and
before midnight it was almost iced wa
ter, and what Il luxury it seemed
Early III the morning, the Arabs packed
the camels amid ali tho roaring and
growing [ described before and as
soon rs we could get breakfast wewere
Oil. ON another days march. From
time to time We stopped at the ancient
wells and reservoirs constructed by the
Greeks and the Romans two thousand
years ago, and wono.ered to find so per-
feet remains of their masonry Again
we would stop at the wooden wells and
water-holes to replenish our barrels
and goat skins and rest the men and
animals.
1t is very difficult to travel on the
desert at night. for the faint track is
easily lost, the landmarks are invisible
and the guides get bewilderet. But
when the moon grew old enough. We
made several night marches to avoid
the great heat OF the day but doubt
whether we We're benefited by it for
the rest aud sleep obtained during
the day were very unsatisfactory. Vet
those night marches were charming.
If you want to see the stars and es7,y-
ciaily the moon, in all their splendor,
you must como to Egypt. The desert
plains were flooded with silver Light
and the hills with their dark shadows
presented the most fantastic and pic
turesqo outlines. The night march
would be enliyened by pleasant chat aud
agreeable companionship. Every now
and then the guide at the head of the
column would break out in a strange
wild and monotnous song, unlike any
thing | ever heard before, and would
be answered by another from the cen
tre and tho rear OF the column. Prom
time to time short halt would be
made to enable the laggard to come
up; and when the first streaks of dawn
appeared in the Eastern sky, We would
camp for the day, see the fierce sun
rise above the hills, eat breakfast and
go to sleep. BY the way, l learned to
look upon the sun, the blessed sun, in
quite an unfriendly way. 20 the tray
eller on the desert, he seems like per
sonal foe, eager to dry up his blood, to
parch his tongue, to burn this flesh
and to drink his life. Whenever 7 saw
him peering over the hills and piercing
through the canvass of my tent, | could
hardly refrain from applying to linn
those words of Scripture :: Hast thou
found me 0 mine enemy?' Unfor-
tunately for me, I became quite sick
befo.e the end of the journey to the
water [ had to use, and the latter part
OF my trip here was not so pleasant as
the beginning.
The guides who We're with rs, some
OF whom still remain, were quite Il
study. They belonged as I stated, To
the tribe of Ababdiah. This tribe ac-
knowledge now allegiance to the Khe
dive, but they were for long time Ell
tirely independent. They roam over
the desert with their fiochs and it is a
mystery how theypick up q sustenance.
They are very dark, in fact, nearly
black, but with nothing whatever
of the negro form or features.
Their hair is friZzed, but not wo0lv.
They cultivate it with great care, dab
it well with butter whenever they can
get it, and seem to take a pride III
going always bareheaded, even in the
tierciest heat of Summer. The hair
over the forehead and top of the head
is disposed IS thick cushion, while
at tla sides aud back, il hangs III great
long heavy locks twisted into cords
about the size Of Il pencil, and pro-
tecting their heads etfectualiy from
the sun. They are very wei! formed,
though small. Their facial angie IS -
straight AS the best type Of the Ca'l-
casian race, to which III truth they be-
long III spite OF their black color. Some
OF them have as fine heads aud protiles
as could be found anywhere. They
are very proud aud viii not 10 any
manual labor, other than tending
c;mels and liocks. No amount Of
money can Induce them to Wort, Tie
ground. They nearly all carry arms,
swords and spears, also shields OF r!i
nocHros hide. They scsiI 10 give the
preference "a tho@., weapons over fire
arms, though few al thcn nave queer
cid flint ioc! guns, and even match
locks. They are all NiUes:tlinAns and
speak Ar;tbic.
After twcuty-fuar days i,ur.,,.y. We
came out Of the great range 4 the
Arabian moIntains aUd hehcid in front
OF Us the waters Of the Red Sea- and
the Gulf "f Hercnice: and I assure
you. i. was cheering sight. Here, |
Joined the other expedition which was
engaged in surveying the ilayl}tr, and
with which I will go on to B,.rhcr
about the end of this month. Sncc ]
have been here have entirely rccny-
cred my health. i'i,o Gather ,li4S he
COM. what We call cool III t;iiS ,.pun-
try. t:,at is, ;o say, the tl,"riaomct~r
falls tu 81 degrees ,sucIur the night
aud ri.,,s to 81 ur - degrees during
the day, 30 that :, s,-sl bath iS ,:9rcs.,t-
bic almost every day. .Tus; ti.pI, th5.
w!ni,. Won are siiivtrnc over yuar coal
fire., | am taking baths III ,isr Red
sSua III hid December. The N0vem
Der rams which fall al"ug the sea coast
have rcplenished the wills and water
holes with good water and We expect
y find au abundance of it between
here and Bcrhcr. We count u!,on
reaching that place aboat the 1T Of
March, the distance being about six
hundred miles. From there We will
follow TIE Nile to above Uamcd. and
thence across another desert 4. Iitnu.
There, We will leave our calnels and
embark upon government steamer.
On our way down the Nile, we will
stop aud see the splended ruins Which
attract tourists from al the world ami
We hope to return to Cairo N health
and safety, about the 18th OF April.
IT L have a chance 1 viii write you
from Berber. BY the way, / omitted
to say that while waiting at ksleI for
the camel train, 1 visited the magnlfi-
cent temple of Denderah across the
river. It IS structure OF imposing
majesty and instifes AL hat has been