Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1884-07-10
THE INUNDATION OF THE NILE.


THE INUNDATION OF THE NILE.
L wish that my readers might enjoy,
what L have often enjoyed, the glorious
view, which at the time of the inunda-
ton 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.
At other times of the year the valley
OF the Nile, seen from this height. re-
sembles green and blooming garden.
Waving corn-fields, deeply green clio
yer meadows, high-grown Indian corn
and beans. sugar cane and cotton plan
tations, 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 Lib
yam Desert frame the picture, and the
pyramids of Ghizeh stand out in bold
profile against the sky. If so be that
the sun is setting behind them at the
lime that your eye is resting on this
picture, you will enjoy symphony of
color such as once seen is never forgot
ten. The blue-green tints of the valley
meet and blend with the warm browns
and ochers of the desert, and through
almost purple tint these again a,,e
united with and attuned to the deep
blue of the sky.
The grand simplicity of subject, COM
bind with the-I might say classic
harmony of lines and the marvellous
blending of colo:s which 90 to make up
the Egyptian landscape. can not but
fascinate every artist; and all who have
once seen and studied it are drawn
.rresistibly again and again to the
deeper study of these problems of art.
At the moment that have selected for
Introducing this picture to my readers,
the waters of the Nile, which at other
times, hemmed in by the high shores.
only resemble silver ribbon winding
in and out among the green field, and
CHANGING here and there as the sunlight
falls upon it-these waters cover all,
and the vast plain resembles an extens-
i've lake. The will gcs, built on more
elevated ground, and protected by high
bikes, peep out of the vast expanse of
water like islands in the sea. The
palms, whose plush green feather
crowns are already burdencd with heavy
tassels of dates, red or rown or yellow,
are more than halfway up their grace
full stems in water. Numberle S boats
latcen-sails, looking like sea-gulls on
She wing, skim the water, speeding be-
fore the north wind, which at this
season blows steadily. and sends them
southwark heavily laden with produce
OF the north, whence they return with
cargoes of ivory, ostrich feathers, gum
arabic. and, alas! only too often, with
slaves.
This is the time at which, in Cairo. a
most curious and interesting fete is cele-
bratcd, 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
q certain height.
canal traverseS Cairo from east
to west. This canal is closed, when
the inundation begins. at the june
ton with 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 proceed
ing the feast, numbers of dahabeeyahs
"a kind of vessel found only on the
Nile, and best described as 4 floating
dwelling combining great comfort with
ship like compactness and regard for
space-are seen on the Nile approach
ing the spot where the canal and river
meet and there drop their anchors.
while others continue lacking about.
Some of these dahabeevahs are the
private property of residents of Cairo,
who with their families spend this night
on board; others are chartered for the
occasion by party who dispense. rs
best suits their taste, for the night
some retiring to the divaus in the airy
.AlOOns, 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 twink
ling 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 paint
ed in all the eolors of the rainbow, its
masts and rigging decked with count
less lamps and flags. This boat leaves
the harbor of Boolak. near Cairo, in the
afternoon (and by paying small sun
one can obtain 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 j: 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
sherhst. the intervening 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 (''Aruseh' . maiden.
beautiful and of noble birth, was
brought annually as sacrifice to the
god, and who, clothed in bridal array.
Ras doomed to watery grave.
y Orisntals, and the Egyptian Is no