The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-05-06

prosperity has sunk to be the ''basest of
kingdoms Thus, saith the Lord, [ will
destroy the idols, and l will cause their
images to cease out of Noph (Memphis). >
In few days We purpose leaving this
strange land of Egypt with interesting
recollections Of its past greatness and its
present poor oppressed condition. Our so
journ here was pleasant and afforded us the
strangest and most curious sights Hav-
ing obtained through the kindness of Hon.
f. Mcpherson a letter from the Secretary
of State, introducing us to the leading Off
cials of Europe, Asia and Africa, we were
most graciously received by Mr.. Wolf, the
Consul-General of Egypt. At Luxor, in
company with Mr. Wolf, our party was in
vited to dinner given by Ali Mourad,
the Consul of that place, As Ali Mourad
is real eoppercolored Egyptian and Ma
homedan, we thought we would have the
novelty of eating an Arab dinner But to
our surprise We had a meal that would do
honor to our best hotels in the United
States, There were about fifteen Ameri-
cans presents, and | must say we felt
cheered and became seniimentally patriotic
or patriotically sentimental in seeing the
stars and stripes float before us on Africa S
soil. Even here the custom of burning in
eense under the nose of Uncle Samuel
prevails
In making our tour through Egypt We
were surprised to find such comfort and
convenience in travelling Our journey
was accomplished with no harlships what
ever The cars were fair and the boats
good In our EXCURSIONS from the river
Nile we always used donkeys From Cairo
to the Cape Of Good Hope there is not
carriage to be found The donkey Is ex-
ceedingly well suited for this climate and
soil Now that have used him much and
become acquainted with his habits, | must
sound his praises. Ny sincere wish for his
welfare is, that the Egyptian would give
him more corn or grain than he receives.
A driver always accompanies the tourist
( who rides on donkey. II Is astonishing
how these drivers can run in the swiitest
manner by the side of donkey all day
long without the slightest fatigue. Caniels
are much used. but principally for carrying
Z burdens.
( Although the Arabic language Is univer-
/ sally spoken by the natives here, We had
/ no trouble in getting along with them.
Nearly every dTagoman speaks either Eng
( lish or French. BY the way, l must re
mark that with the knowledge Of these tao
languages. the traveller need no, be afraid
to 20 into any part Of the world. | heard
more English spoken in Egypt than in
Paris
Farmiagin IN Egypt differs very much from
that ia Pennsylvania Whatever little
ploughing there Is, the fsilahesH OF farmer
does with oxen. Not single barn Is toaad
in al the country. They thresh their wheat
on the ground and winnow il in the old
fashioned way The women grind or ra;h-
er mash it between two heavy stones.
noticed this work Is very hard. No farmer
lives on his land. Al live in villages thai
are made Of mud OF sgh-driea bricks.
These unpretenaing places are sometimes
far apart All the land belongs to the
Khedive. and no one else can own any.
The farmer must pay $500 rent a year for
every acre that he farms This Is eonsid-
cred heavy tax, aud could not be paid
were IL not for the several c,op~ that can
be raised during the year lioone can ua-
derstand the richness If the soil unless be
sees IT, Such grass, beans and sugar-cane
no ether country can produce. Irrigation,
however, must be an immense labor to those
who cultivate the land. From our steamer
ON the Nile We Ogten timed the men who
were dipping water from the river in buck
cts made out Of raw goat skins Allow
ing each bucket 20 hold two gallons We
estimated that one man in q single day Of
10 hours could throw 2,000 gallons Of
water on the land The banks Of the Tivcr
IN some places are 20 feet high, therefore,
Il takes three pad oilen,imos four men in
line, one above the other, before the water
is raised high enough. Let our farmers
now imagine how troublesome ii Is 70 water
a ten acre feld in this maRBeF Yet this
mast be done in upper Egypt, where It
never rains. In lower Egypt watering the
land Is not 81 difficult. because there ara
numerous canals through which the Nile
diffuses itself There IS no woodland any.
where. am az loss to know where the
people get wood with which 10 cook what
little they eat As the climate Is warm all
the year round no fires are wanted. Dried
dung Of the eamels and lonkeys IS much /
used for fuel 10 bake bread in the same
manner as il was done in the days Of old
by the Israelites. Were | TO explain how
this is done, fear my kind readers would
laugh and not believe me. The refuse Of
Sugar-eane also serves as fuel.
II Is the duty Of the women, who are
here valued less than donkeys, as one Of
our party observed the other day, to carry {
from the Nile all the water used for cook. I
ing and various other purposes. Stone /
jars holding two or three gallons are most
dexterously poised and carried on the head
BY them. Did many of my lady readers
see how woman Is tseated in Egypt, they /
would shank the star" if may use a
common expression, for their happy homes,
and would not, for want Of variety some I
times. consider life burdensome- Speaking /
Of carrying water, reminds Ele that when /
the traveller is thirsty on tho streets OF
Cairo and Alexandra, be can be aceOmmo- +
dated with drink out Of dried, untan- /
nee hog or goat skin which is suspended I
from the back of a man who is dressed, if /
may use such complimentary language, .
faE worse than any tramp. escaped these
water-carriers 50 far, but no telling wha;
win yet happen in Asia Ny letter has
again been growing imperceptibly on my /
hands, and since beginning TO write have |
returned again TO Cairo where we are now
preparing te 90 to Port Said to take ship
ping for Jaffa in Palestine.
Farewell, Egypt | love thy land but /
not thy customs. Thy poor, oppressed |
people have my dearest sympathies. May
God give them strength to arise from that /
dark and dreary Mahomedan superstition
in which they lie buried for ages, and may |
He grant them the light of faiths my 1
sincere wish and earnest prayer,
We propose going direct to Jerusalem,
where | hope you will again hear from
your correspondent.
More of Cairo-the Khedivc's Gorgeous Palaee-An !
Egyptian Snake .Charmer-Suez Canal-Jafa ana 4
its 0ranges-Vale of fSharon-Jerusalem.
JERUSALEM, PALESTINE, March /, 1857. |
After journey of 8,237 miles, we ar
rived at Jerusalem-the city of sacred |
memory, and of which the royal prophet |