The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-07-05
The Inundation of the Nile.

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view, which at the time of the inundation
is peculiarly fascinating, from the summit
of the mountains which bound the valley
of the Nile. on the eastern side. Let me
try to lead you there, in fancy at least. 1t
is an excursion which amply repays any
one who undertakes it. Pc
At other times of the year the valley of
the Nile, seen from this height, resembles
a green and blooming garden. Waving
corn fields, deeply green clover meadows,
high-grown Indian corn and beans, sugar
cane and cotton plantations, cover every
inch of cultivated ground, interspersed with
groups of palm trees and groves of acacias,
in the midst of which the villages nestle
Far away to westward the hills of the Lii
byaR- desert frame the picture, and the
Pyramids of Ghizeh stand out in bold pro-
file against the sky. If so be that the sun
is setting behind them at the time that
your eye is resting on this picture, you will
enjoy a symphony of color such as once
seen is never forgotten. The blue-green
tints of the valley meet and blend with the
warm browns and ochres of the deseft. and
through almost purple tints these again are
united with and attuned to the deep blue
of the sky. .
The grand simplicity of subject, COM
bined with the-I might say classic-har-
mony of lines and the marvellous blending
of colors which go to make up the Egyp-
tian landscape, cannot but fascinate every
artist and all who have once seen and
studied it are drawn irresistibly again and
again to the deeper study of these problems
of art. At the moment that | have Sc
lected for introducing this picture to my
readers, the water of the Nile, which at
other times, hemmed in by the high shores,
only resemble silver ribbon winding in
and out among the green fields, and CLAN
cling here and there as the sunlight falls
upon it-these waters cover all, and the
vast plain resembles an extensive lake,
The villages, built on more elevated ground
and protected by high dikes, peep out of
the vast expanse of water like islands in
the sea. The palms, whose bluish-green
feathery crowns are already burdened with
heavy tassels of dates, red or brown or yell
low, are more than halfway up their grace
full stems in water. Numberless boats and
small craft, with their picturesque lateeu
sails, looking like sea-gulls on the wing,
skim the water, speeding before the north
wind, which at this season blows steadily
and strongly, and sends them southwark
heavily laden with produce of the north,
whence they return with cargoes of ivory,
ostrich feathers, and gum-arabic
This is the time at which, in Cairo,
most curious and interesting fete is cele-
brated, one which has its origin in heather
custom, namely, the so-called "breaking
through of the Nile, and takes place when
the Nile has reached certain height
A canal traverses Cairo from east to
west. This canal is closed, when the inun-
dation begins, at the junction of the Nile,
by solid and well-made dixie, and remains
thus closed until the water-mark shall have
reached desired point The rupture of
this dixie, which admits the water into the
city, is accompanied by festivities in which
all classes of the population share.
Already in the afternoon, and still more
in the evening, of the day preceding the
feast, numbers of dahabeeyahs-a kind of
vessel found only on the Nile, and best
described as floating dwelling combining
great comfort, with ship-like compactness
and regard for space-are seen on the Nile
approaching the spot where the canal and
river meet, and there drop their anchors,
while others continue tacking about. Some
of these dahabeeyahs are the private prop
erty of residents of Cairo, who with their
families spend this night on board; others
are chartered for the occasion by party
who disperse, as best suits their taste, for
the night-some retiring to the divans in
the airy saloons, others preferring the deck
with its bright spectacle of illumination on
all sides, for in the rigging of all these
boats the colored lamps are twinkling and
rejecting their light in the water.
One large boat among the many catches
the eye in particular it is that called
''Akabeh" by the Arabs painted in all
colors of the rainbow, its masts and rigging
decked with countless lamps and flags.
This boat leaves the harbor of Boolak, near
Cairo, in the afternoon (and by paying a
small sum one can obtain a passage), and
sails on till it reaches the isle of Rhodda,
quite near to which is the spot at which the
festivities of that night are to take place.
Here it is made fast by heavy cables, and
prepares to remain till the morrow
On the deck is an awning, under which
the passengers can while away with friendly
cigarette and cooling sherhet the interven-
ing hours, In the imagination of the
Egyptians of to-day this boat represents
the splendid vessel on which, in ancient
times, the "Bride of the Nile'' G (''Aruseh''),
a maiden, beautiful and of noble birth, was
brought annually as sacrifice to the god,
and who, clothed in bridal array, was
doomed to watery grave.
All Orientals, and the Egyptian is no
exception to the rule, like to have their
merry-makings at night And they are
right The intense heat of the day is over;
the sun, with its rays and its glare, no lon
ger wearies eyes and nerves; the glorious
star-lit sky-such sky as only the far
East can spreads its canopy over all;
a soft, balmy breeze comes gently through
the valley and blows up stream, bringing
the cool but never cold atmosphere of the
Mediterranean, whose moisture and briny
odors have been modified by the long jour
ney it had to make before reaching the in
land capital This is the time, above all
others, at which the river and its shores
become the scene of animated life. At
regular intervals the cannon boom, for
without smell of powder, much shouting
and screaming, and oft-repeated fireworks,
the proper holiday mood is wanting. Le-
gions of small boats, like midges glancing
over the water, move about in all directions
as connecting links between the large,
firmly anchored vessels.
From some one point the sound of the
"tara-bookaf is heard, and to its monoto-
nous rhythmic accompaniment female sing
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