Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-03-18

The Town III the soudan
where Gordon Fell.


enters at one side Or the city and
African barbarism comes ii IL the
other. Beyond Khartounl from the
north few tourists have ever made
their way. and beyond Khartoum from
the south few savages have ever ven
tured From the south the Nubian
sends his stores Of ebony. ostrich feath.
ers, ivory, skins Of animals and other
products Of the equatorial lake district.
while from the north the trader carries
grain, cotton. gum. Brummaglm knick-
knaclks and beads to feed and clothe
the "savages pouting at the line. As
the entre2Ot Of the products Of Central
Africa, Khartoum:is q place Of some
commercial Importance. Among the
$4,000 people who make Up its popula-
ton there are many Greeks and Ital-
ians, while two or three Americans
here find profitable investments in fur
nishing beads and other trumpery to
the sayages from Khordofan, Ell Obeld
and Dafoilr. The traders sell canned
fruits, meats and vegetables and make
the DongOlowee howl through the
streets after taking some OF their raki
as refresher. Arabs in their bour-
naises, Turks with the traditional fez,
Copts with their bashe. and Birhareen
Arabs with their knotted and combined
locks ofshair, standing up like quilts Of
the porcupine, wander through its ir-
regular. narrow and badly drained
streets. It Is no wonder that Khar-
toum is unhealthy. When it rains,
great pools of stagnant water are
formed, and from these fevers are gem
Grated and the deadly miasma does its
work among the people
The street that borders the river
side looks down upon the water from
an elevation along which stately palm
trees and large gardens Of citron and
orange trees stand. Many neatly
whitewashed buildings stand along the
river bank. and these are relieved by
the minarets ard mosques which give
the air Of city in Upper Egypt, like
BenisoOef or Rhoda Ia large way.
There are, Of course. the characteristic
mud houses. the tropical foliage, the
palms and the weeping dornes. the
dedebahas hauled on the beach for re-
pairs, the bales Of cotton heaped on
the shore. the sacks Of gum, the tusks
Of ivory and the stevedOre population
who brave crOcodiles for their paltry
paras.
The palace Of the Governor Is an
ugly looking building facing the river,
and the helmeted and casqued negroes
who form the guarl OF honor are
dressed in white uniforms An army
Of men IS large as the army Of the
United States IS engaged in capturing
the negroes Of the Upper Nile. audit IS
said that 10000 slaves. worth about
$50 head, yearly pass through the
tortuous thoroughfare OF this gateway
city. The Turk. with his Moslem re-
ligion. sees no great harm in the
traffic. for he is taught polygamy and
the seryitude Of one race to another.
AT Khartoum the harem IS regarded
IS sacred institution, Is the Koran Is
the inspired law. Of the majority.
Even IL the mountain passes 81
Abbysinia were sealed up. thesoaports
Of the Cape Of Good Hope blockaded.
and ali the outlets Of Central Africa
barricaded. Jet it IS believed that the
same silent caravans will Be- found
starting over the deserts. and the same
dealers aneaking through Khar-
toum across che Red Sea or che Per
sian Gulf. For 400 miles south 81
Khartoum the White Nile Is covered
with rich cotton fields. which slope
away from the banks Of the river from
Eve TO lifty miles into the interior.
The resources Of the country are i'm
mense. and Khartoum IS destined 70
play a. important part ii the develop
ment of the resources Of Central Africa.
Bringing Matters e ! Crisis.
tst<fs x&.rs~.s senss rsn2 ..4s~tsa.rv =