Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1882-10-12
THE SANDS OF EGYPT.
Sir Samuel Bakers Graphic Descrip-
ton of the Nubian DESERT. Terrible
Marching and Suffering.

1'AA hou"uCl "ldPuAC DCSCBApe
ton of the Nubian Desert-- Terrible
Marching and Suffering.
frman, cook, dragoman and sixteen
camels, and on the 18th of May launched in
to the Nubian Desert, the crossing of which
he describes in the following graphic man
ner:
During the cold months, from November
to February, the crossing is not disagreeable,
but the vast area OF glowing sand exposed to
the scorching sun, in addition to the wither-
ing breath of the simeon, renders the forced
march oi 23O miles in seven days, at two and
half miles per hour, the mast fajguing
journey that can be endured. A few miles
from Korosko the misery of the scene sur
passes description. Glowing like furnace,
the vast extent of yellow sand stretched to
the horizon. Rows of broken hills, all of
volcanic origin, broke the fiat plain. Conical
tumuli of volcanic Stag here and there rose
to the height of several hundred feet, and in
the far distance resembles the pramids of
Lower Egypt; doubtless they were the
models for that ancient and everlasting ar
chitecture; hills of black basalt jutted from
the barren base of sand, and the mOlted air
quiyered On the Over-heated surface Of the
fearful desert, 114c Fahrenheit in the shade,
under the water-skins, and 1872 in the sun.
Noiselessly the spongy tread of the camels
crept along the sand-the only noise was the
rattle of some loosely secured baggage Of
their packs. The Arab camel-drivers then
followed silently, and hour by hour we
struck deeper into the solitude of the Nu-
bia Desert. Far as the eye could reach were
waves like stormy sea-gray, cold-looking
waves in the burning heat, but no drop of
water; it appeared as though sudden curse
had turned raging sea to stone The 81
moon blew over this horrible wilderness and
drifted the hot sand into the crevices of the
rocks, and the camels dropped their heads
before the suffocating winds, but still the
caravan crept noiselessly over the rocky un-
dulations until the storm nearly was passed
once more we were upon "a boundless plain
of sand and pebbles. The sun-that relent-
less prosecutor of the desert traveller-sank
behind the western hills, and the long wish
editor night arrived-cool, delicious night
the thermometer 7S0, a difference of 360 be-
lNCCA tHC vi 4AC OScOlo hoSA ~
charm by night, as the horizon of its naked
ness was limited: the rocks assumed fantas
tic shapes in the bright moonlight, as the
profound stiffness produced an effect of the
supernatural in that wild and mysterious
solitude Many years ago, when the Egypt
ian troops first conquered Nubia, regiment
was destroyed by thirst in crossing the des-
sert. The men, being upon q limited allow
ance of water, suffered from extreme thirst,
and deceived by the appearance of mirage
that exactly resembled beautiful lake, they
insisted on being taken to its banks by the
Arab guide. It was in vain that the guide
assured them that the lake was unreal, and
he refused to lose the precious time by wan
dering from his course. Words ledto blows,
and he was killed by the soldiers whose lives
depended upon his guidance The whole
regiment turned from the track and rushed
toward the welcome waters Thirsty and
faint, over the burning sands they hurried;
heavier and heavier their footsteps grew;
hotter and hotter their breath, as deeper
they pushed into the desert: farther and
farther from the lost track where the pilot
lay in his blood; and still the mocking
spirits of the desert of the afreet
OF the mirage, led them on, and the lake
glistening in the sunshine tempted them to
bath in its cool waters, close to their eyes,
but never at their lips. At length the delu-
sion vanished-the fatal lake had turned to
burning sand Raging thirst, and horrible
despair. The pathless desert and the MUIR
dered guide! Not man left the desert,
but they were subsequently discovered
parched and withered corpses-by the Arabs
sent upon the search. Throughout the route
from Korosko the skeletons of camels number
about eight per mile, with the exception of
the last march on either side of the water
place Moorahd, on which there are double
that number. as the animals have become ex-
hausted as they approached the we'll In
the steep pass through the hills, where the
heat is intense and the sand deep, the NOR
tality is dreadful; in some places | counted
six and eight in heap; and this difficult
portion of the route is a mass of bones, as
every weak animal gives in at the trying
place So dreadful desert is this between
Korosko and Abou Hammed, that Said
Pasha ordered the route closed but it was
reopened upon the application of foreign
Consuls, as the most direct road to the
SOudan."
Mr. Baker and his party reached Abou
on the morning of May 23d, the
Journey having occupied ninety-two hours
of actual marching. And the Nubian Desert
had been crossed by woman.