Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-09-21
In the Camp.

On the Delta of the Nile, the English
and Egyptian camps are now facing each
other. The Egyptians, should they be
defeated, have Cairo and the Libyan De-
sert to fly to; the British, with Alexandria,
moreover, which is covered by the guns of
one of the strongest fleets that ever went
forth to do battle with an antagonist
have tolerably secure place of retreat in
the event of any disaster befalhng their
arms. The routine of the British soldiers
life In the time OF warfare is similar 10
that of the American. In the morning he
must fall into the ranks at bugle call and
answer to his name; later he has to take
his turn at guard or picket duty; he may
have to fall into patrolling party or take
part in q reconnaissance; then, when he
has nothing more to do, he may lounge
about among the tents, smoking his clay
pipe or chatting with comrade. The
scene differs strangely in the camp of the
Egyptians. There the majority of the
soldiers are dressed In amongrel European
fashion, with the tarboosh or fez as the
most conspicuous national characteristic
of their uniform; but there Is minority
whose picturesque costumes are distinctly
Oriental. The Bedouin. with his gaudily
colored handkerchief wrapped about his
head, leaving ends that hoat upon his
shoulders, his long white, mantle like gar
ments, and his sandalled feet; the Soudan-
ese, with white turbans, flowing raiment
and baggy trousers; the Ably sslnlan adven-
turer, who dresses as he pleases, much as
his brother the Nublan does-all form q
singular contrast with the quietly uni
formed soldiers of the Irregular" terce.
On the eve of battle these soldiers show a
different scene IN camp from that which
their antagonists present. Sitting cross
legged IN front of their tents, which are
but pieces of thin canvas stretched on
cross-stlcks, and are so low that their oc-
Cupants have TO enter them by crawling,
they assemble in groups and pass around
the chllbouque or narghileh, the bubblng
sound OF which as the smoke passes
through the water is almost the only
sound that is heard except the neighing or
the stamping OF the horses that are pick
eted by the heels behind the camps IT
regular lines.
An officer gallops along and warns them
to be ready. They rise hastily to their
feet, crawl" into their tents for their
weapons and hustle up together before
they finally fall into line. But they do
1t all with very little noise. 1t is possible
10 Ind not ntisy but hilarious group;
but this is generally where a chosen few
OF the black faced and laughter loving
faithful from the Soudan have surrounded
story-teller, whose variations of the
deeds of genil or the merry tricks among
mortals of lesser supernatural worthless
alternately excite their deep-voiced won
der or their spontaneous, chllG-like mlrth.
A British soldier seeing an Arab or Egypt
ian camp, and noting the recumbent posi-
ton and social manner Of the majority of
lis occupants, might imagine that such
people as these had no energy for fighting
but he would be egregiously mistaken.
A French traveller, who recently closely
observed the Egyptian army and all its
mcongruous elements of pure .felLGheen,
Copts, Berbers, Nublans, Western Christ
ians, Turks, Abyssinians, came to this
conclusion They are admirably trained,
drilled and disciplined under the super
VISION OF an exceedingly able staff of
American and other foreign officers, and
the result is that finer looking soldier
than Egyptian soldier can be seen no.
where. such Is brief sketch of the
troops that are now waiting" Arabis
men are strongly posted in the vicinity of
Raraleh; but his strongest position is on
the narrow neck of land which stretches
from the AboukIr Lake to the northern
verge of Lake Mareotls. With broad
country Behind him, railway and plenty
of wafer In the Mahmovdieh Canal, ArabI
Bey ought to be able to make stubborn
resistance TO any British force attempting
TO move along The neck and drive him
from his pcsition. A conspicuous feature
of that neck of land is that it Is filed with
marsh ground, which will seriously intel-
fere with the free movements both of
British cavalry and artillery. The ground
AIabi has chosen is, on the contrary, firm
enough TO permit of very effecting man
evuring.