The daily gazette., 1879-03-13
EGYPT AND THE BEDOUINS.
From the n. Y. Herald.

A large assemblage gathered at Chick
lecture on EGYPT and the Bedouins,"
the auspices Of the American Geographi-
cal Society. The lecturer said Egypt di-
vides itself spontaneously into three
branches. First, ancient Egypt, her his
tory, mythology, antiquities, temples and
pyramids. Second, modern Egypt, her
people, manners, customs, tribunals and
laws; her women, harems, social life,
festivals, the army and the Khedive.-
Third, life In the deserts among the
Bedouin tribes in the waterless land, the
mirage, the people aud the ship of the
desert.
General Colston said that when he ex-
plored the Eastern desert in 1873 no rain
had fallen tor three years. He then de-
scrbed the primitive and scrip.ural way
of carrying water-,n goatskins, which
are suspended from the camels' pack sad
dies. He dwelt at length upon the sub
ject of water, because of Its importance,
and described the labor required for
raising 1t from wells 200 feet deep, with
nothing but rope and leather pouch.
The next point was the camel, and
upon this strange and curious animal he
gave much new and interesting infofma-
tion. The burden camel carries a load
of 400 pounds and travels two and a half
| miles an hour, never moving out of a
walk. The riding camel, or dromedary,
corresponds to the saddle horse. He can
| move at the rate of twenty miles an
hour, and even faster when racing, and
be can travel easily 100 miles a day for
| several days. In the deserts the horse
would quickly perish. The camel lives
on almost nothing and can go five or six
| days without water in the heat of sum
mer, and his broad, soft foot enables him
to cross deep sands. He has some faults,
however, being stupid, sullen and cross !;
but, altogether, he is much more gentle
than the horse.
THE BEDoUINs.
The next topic was the Bedouins, which
led the lecturer to speak of the much
tangled subject of races in Africa. The
Bedouns are probably of purer blood
than the rest, being the descendants of
Ishmaeltcs who crossed fiom Arabia CEN
turies before Christ. The principal tribes
in tie Eastern desert are the Ababdeh
and Bishareens, the same whom Pliny
called Gebadel nineteen hundred years
ago. They are nomads, and live under
HE patrlarchal government of sheiks.
Their wealth is in flocks and camels.
They often suffer from scarcity, which
they could avoid by taking up fertile and
lunoccupied lands; but .hey love liberty
too much to dwell in fixed habitations.
They are brave and warlke race, and
are in the habit of carrying arms at all
| times. Their color is from bronze to
black, but their features are straight and
aquiline, like the best European types,
and their hair is not woolly. They are
above medium height and very well
formed, and some Of their young women
are very handsome. They are the most
abstemious of men, living almost solely
on the milk of their flocks. The grass
supplies them with mats for their tents
the trees with saddles, tan bark and
ropes. Their wants are extremely few.
They go bareheaded at all times, arrang-
ing their hair so as to protect themselves
from the suns rays.
| The lecture was illustrated in its vari-
GUS parts by beautiful Photographic
views and portraits and by many draw
| ings.