The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-04-23
(Coniinued.l
FOREIGN TEEAVEE..
African HsuHaIoes--A RBonlZey
EB0y-FanlOuS H2u1ns--<1a-
for Venice.

FOR venice.
The buffalo is much used in
Egypt. and chiefly as beast of bur
den, and possibly for all of The pur-
poses for which we use cows and
oxen. Its form Is like that of The
buffalo of cur western plains, but
its skin or robe would not be more
useful than that of our cattle for
the purpose for which it is employed
They were seen in considerable
herds along the dale and the canals,
and they were nearly always &C.
companied by the Jacana, or sacred
bird of the Egyptians. This bird
is of slender form, and it's size may
DE compared TO that of the duck, al
though it is slender and graceful.
They were TO be seen in large fioc&s
wherever there was an abundance
of water. and were so tame rs TO
alight upon the backs of the buffalo
and other animals, and npon the
ground where men were at work in
the fields. This bird Is regarded
with superstitions veneration by
the natives, and they never allow it
to be killed or harmed.
There are many villages with
houses built of mud along the way
between Cairo and Alexandria, e
distance of one hundred and thirty
miles, but the only one that rises to
the dignity of a city is Tentah,
which, next 70 Cairo and AleXan-
dria, is the largest city in Egypt.
Some of its houses, which are built
of mud, displayed considerable effort
in the exhibition of taste in their
construction. Some of these had
cornices and ornaments about their
doors and windows, which were
formed of this material. But this
material ceases to be employed
when in the vicinity of Alexandria.
It is said that the abundant rains at
Alexandria and in the vicinity of
the coast, render its use entirely
impracticable. Many of these mud
houses and huts are not superior, as
human habitstions, to the rude wig
vans of the Indians of our 'front.'
Ter. Many of them are without
roof to keep out the rain, but they
have a rude covering of reeds and
straw which are intended to pro-
tect from the sun.
We intended to spend but two
days at Alexandria, but, as at Jaffa,
we were deferred by the move
ments of the steamer for two more
days. The lions of Alexandria are
but few, and may commonly be
seen in one day. Although a place
of marked historic interest, and
once q city of four fold its present
population, the marks of its former
dimensions and splendor have been
mostly removed. Wishing to have
view of Cleopatra's needle, we
rode up the shore of the bay. and
found the obelisk standing in a
yard where stone is wrought. 1t is
not as high or as large as the ODE
lisk of LanoX in Paris, the form of
which it resembles. 1t has figures
and inscriptions covering its sides,
in which is it's chief interest 10 the
archeologist.
Our visit to Pompey's Pillar was
attended with some amusement, as
we'll as pleasure. which would have
compensated for the excursion if
the Pillar had not been in view. A
sprightly donkey boy had several
times accosted me as l passed out
from the hotel, but / had not yet
patrouized that institution. But be-
ing ready for u donkey ride, l took
q little time for investigation. The
boy had mentioned a list of names
as belonging to his donkey, and
there we've Prince of Wales, Yam
kee-DOodle and Ginger Pop, and he
svowed that he was a good and safe
donkey. After receiving positive
assurances with regard to the good
qualities of Ginger Pop, mounted.
The boy, with rod in hand, as is
their custom, and the animal being
in a sleepy mood, thump from the
rod 80 changed the speed of the ami
NAL that l came near going over
board. But this little incident SEEM
ed to quite escape the boys notice,
for he repeated the applications,
and did not seem to understand me
when vehemently invited him to
spare the rod. But we were soon
at POmpey's Pillar, after passing a
gate of the city and through a grove
of palm trees. Pompey's Pillar
would not be likely to attract much
attention but for its inscriptions and
historic interest. A pillar of like
form, and nearly the same dimen-
siOns, stands in small square upon
the high ground in Brindiri, the his.
tory of which is unknown.
We had been delayed two days al
Alexandria, awaiting The arrival al
SueZ of the mail steamer from Bonn
bay, and were informed that it had
arrived at Suez, and that the mail
was on it's way over the Egyptian
railway, and that we were to en-
bark before six O'Clock, for the mail
would arrive and be on board in
time to leave at early dawn the
next morning. We had Often heard
of the peculiar habits of the boat
men at Alexandra, but had not be-
fore had experience of their singu-
lar methods with passengers who
most needs employ them. With
some fellow passengers we rode to
the landing, and before the carriage
had reached the place of embarka-
ton, many hands were ready to
seize our baggage, each of whom
commended for the possession. with