The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-07-19
Oh. scHwEINFUMRs EXPLORATION.
TRIP THROUGH THE WESTERN DESERT or


have set myself the task Of exploring more fully
than has been done hitherto tho mountain region be-
tween the Nile and the Red Sea, and moro especially
to determine The age and extent Of she geological
formations which dstsrmine the physical geography
OF the country. have collected that purpose nu.
merous neurological specimens ana fossils which
present undergoing examination at the hands Of
zitci and Beynch, OF the museums OF Munich and
Berlin.
Tho geological map Of Egypt, prepared by Figar
Bey. abounds In errors Its author a
competent geologist, his journeys sum-
GENTLY extensive enable him to construct a
correct map when two years ago, was instru.
mental in establishing the Egyptian Geographical
Society, pointed to Western Egypt as one Of the
most promising fields for exploration. The Egyptian
Stan, however. Enormously opposed my projects for
its chief OF opinion that long shs mountain
region was allowed to remain unknown, IL would Of
ford formidable barrier against invader II was
evon pretended that scheme for invading Egypt
from the Red Sea prepared by Anglo Indian officer
had found it, way into tho archives of the stan.
Colonel Purdy in 1871, cursorily examined tho coun.
try between Benisuef Kcneh, the Gulf Of Bercn.oc,
and Berber; but the STAFF Bureau persstc nty
refused to publish tho results OF his explorations
for fear of furnishing useful Information TO an In.
II then made up my mind not TO rest
until had visited every mountain aud cvory spring
WITHIN that region. In the course OF this
mer 1 explored and mapped considerable por-
tion of It, am even now better informed with
respect to IT than tho officers of the Stan ana
shall certainly place tho knowledge acquired by me
before tho public. In the OF ny-six days
explored the route between Cairo and Keneh march.
ing during that time 200 hours started the 24,h
Of March from Houan wenty-elsht miles to tho south
Of Cairo, and again reached Nile, Keneh on tho
On leaving Hcuan at FIRST followed the edge Of the
Valley Of the Nile far tho village eiEyam to the
E"cone mosoue p,uaa whas s.en tho
Wady Arnbah from the principal plateau further south
wadi waras afforded a comparatively easy ascent to
my laden camels for II leads to the water parting in
toward Wad ARABIAN may thus l be- rea "Hes
had the *adis snsh Hsaa and our Kn Ia.
fura which descend IN an eastnorthoast d.
were the w.ds and R'shrasn whos take an
opposite course for tho northeast From tho summit
TO Wadi Arabah, which joins to tho tho well
el-Aradeh. II took US nine hours 10 Wadi
the southern wadi As-khar, which, with it's numerous
tributary wadis leads up to the southern Hamada
This southern wadi As-khar ike Its northern name
sake Is hsmmed 10 BY the picturesque cliffs Of the
nummulitic plateau 1t distinguished among all
Ouiiyor Of the nora Of Palestine, which is re-.
presented hero by numerous species, found nowhere
Pslessins IL most conspicuous That portion II
tho nummuito plateau which bounds Wadi
ARABIAN ON the south Is covered with a lux uriant
growth Of herbs and shrubs but there are no Trees
Mount Sna which Is separated from by the Gulf OF
suez, constitutes the connecting link with Palestine
Having explored tho entire system OF the southern
Wadi As-khar, and spent few days on the Hamada
soliciting botanical specimens proceeded 70 tho
Hamad, broad valley descending from the Hamada.
NY caravan was forced 70 mako long detour past
Cape Zafarana, but crossed the mountains In direct
line TO the monastery Of St. Paul. which lics tho
northeastern cornor OF tho Hamada beautiful wadi,
Auon pivho I'm Oath do -
g. $40 feet, at the foot OF which nestlcs monas
tory, AT an elevation OF !, 200 feet above the sea
wonderful accumustions OF debris which forms
perpendicular walls along both sides OF tho torrent
shown to have taken place also IN the Sinai In this
valley discovered Wild pistacia tree not hitherto
found elsewhere st1 10 Egypt Having thoroughly OK.
monastery OF St. Paul, which abounds fossils, took
my course toward the southeast. IN tho direction OF
the isolated porphyry mountain, ON el Tennasb and
then following my former through wadi Ghazaia
reached tho water-partng between the Nile and the
Rod Sea- which forms likewise an important geological
boundary, as porphyry and hornbende rocks como
into contact there with tho sandstone upon which rost
the beds belonging 10 the middle chalk crop out
beneath the nummuc limestoncs at tho foot OF the
plateau failed to discover here tho upper white
chalk. which FERNS SO striking feature in the ellis
bounding the cases to the west OF the Nile. l again
visited tho richly fossiIferous chalk Wadi Nor
whore discovered several species OF ammopi
remarkable on account Of their SIZE.
From Wadi Nor returned the east, crossing the
water parting and the line Of contact between
aauashieh. deep depression in the mountain range
bounding this wadi on the south lcd to table land,
vegetation Crossing this, we took tho direction of
Gebcl Gharib, which justines It's OF the $50
above the plain which slopes down gently to the low
coast hills TO the north OF Gcbcl Of Set This noun
tain Is undoubtedly tho eliminating pos. Of the
TO latitude ~ deg north aid probably Of all Egypt
Mares on the Admiralty chart, gives It an altitude
submits OF Gebel Omm oil sidr Is made to exceed
II 10 the extent OF 100 feet; but this cannot be
moro correctly called kaghb Is not to DO thought Of
OF tho extraordinary steepncss Of its sum
soashwssry direction past GeSsi psra 10 eee
Mangu, where found excellent drinking water in
natural c,stern formed OF deep cleft IN the grcen
deposited there my baggage and with somo
Of the unladcn camels for the sea coast which /
reached AZ Cape Dhtb, at the northern extremity OF
Gebel e Set.
Alter mn absence Of i've days returned to
then followed tho eastern slope Of tho conirc
mountain range as far Gcbel Kufra The number VI
mountains whose altitude exceeds 1--WE thousand feet
very large here aud was able 10 Ok the position Of
only comparatively small number among them. !
Tsachsd wad A6u sidr which extends from deool q
the This valley Is named after It's Sidr trees
lz'sy'hus Spina Chriat, which grow wild here
Roman cistern, two hours march pouth OF
tho wadl but are met with nowhere ese in Northorn
Egypt About an hour and halrs walk above these
Sidr trccs the northwestern slope OF Gebel Dukhan
are tho famous porphyry quarries. The remains
Of cstern with draw-welI are seen In tie centre
oil the valley, and there l discovered the name OF
Lcpsius who bad visited the spot 10Th OF March,
1915, when travelling from Wadi Hamamat TO Gebcl
el s6t ON the Western sidc OF the valley arc she
ruins OF Roman settlement, and OF temple OF sho
time OF Hadrian, with Greek Inscription. Masonry
embankments and zgzag roads lead up the quarric
which Ito AZ an elevation OF 500 feet above tho valley
No OF road exists IN the valley, and It's bottom
has probably been covered With shingles and frag-
mems Of rock, as at present. At the mouth OF
Wadi Sidr, however. ramp may still be scen whero
the blocks were placed upon two-wheeIed cari which
could travel thence without difficulty ov6r tho water
parting Cobel Gatar to Kcneh the Milo. Even
this road Is perfectly practicable Tor Carriages but
the stations along II have been allowed TAIL ruins.
Nor docs the road to the offer any obstacles ana
Gebci esh ~ the south OF Gcbe ci Set all events
may be reached easily Leaving Wadi Abu Sidr, l
proceeded TO the NOUN OF Wadi Belih, where l saw
grotosquey shape gneiss rocks, and solid blocks
vi extraordinary dimensions some Of hundreds OF
cubic metros In volume, were lying in tho bottom OF
the valley. With the mechanical appliances now AZ