Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-12

Opposite coasts 81 Africa and Asa.
| Once Qua into the He'd see, tte
breadth Of water becomes 20 great thAt
| the coasts are frequently invisible. But
~ she vessel selects her path, first on
one side, and then on the other, 70 avoid
the numerous dangerous rocks and reels,
| II IL plainly seen that the coast retains
almost unchanged is general character
istics. The first point Of interest .
the town Of Jsddsh, on the Arabian
coast, and all regular steamers touch
there.
| The next stopping point is Suakim,
nearly cxacly half way between the
head Of the Red sea and the straits Of
BAb-el-Nandcb, or about $50 miles
from Sueg. On approaching 1t pre-
sentS quite an attractive and picturesque
appearance. The white minarets Of It's
two mosques and the cleaning walls
of its Government House and several
other public buildings, strongly con-
trasted with the dark background of
distant hills, catch the eye with almost
dazzling effect. The harbor is narrow
and crooked. 80 that vessels are COM
PEELED to enter by daylight. There is
room fer not more than three or-four
large steamers in the harbor proper.
The town Is mainly built upon
q low island, between which and
| the mainland is shallow channel. This
was spanned by causeway during the
| administration Of General Gordon, thus
sffording free communication between
| the island and shore. On the shore is
large, rambling suburb, mostly in
habited by Hsdendowa Arabs. In this
suburb is large caravansary and the
| market-place for exchange Of commodi-
| ties and trade between the town and adj
| iacent country. In the town proper q
number of Greek merchants have their
shops. On the shore the traders in
horses, mules, and camels ply their
vocation. AS Suakim is the starting
point for caravans which carry trade
into the interior, it is frequently q bus
Ting place. It's population is variable,
sometimes, perhaps, reaching 5000 or
10000.
The plain on the mainland is ordinari-
ly dry desert, but during the rain
season Of the coast, which here occurs |
in the winter months, it is covered with |
q carpet Of grass, which attracts the
flocks and herds of the Arabs from the |
wadies Of the mountains. Then the
immediate vicinity of Suakim is quite
pastoral and pleasing. But this is
an ephemeral freshness that soon
yanishes before the fierce heat Of the
spring and summer sun. Being south
OF the Tropic Of Cancer. it enjoys the
unenviable privilege Of having the
sun in the zenith twice in the year. Its
temperature is, of course, not one OF its
chief attractions. 1t has, in fact, but
few attractions, except to those who are
willing to risk health and comfort in
search of wealth by trade. The trade
was once extensive in slaves, gum,
ivory, ostrich-feathers, ebony, and other !
African products. The destruction of
the slave trade has injured all other
branches of industry, SO that Suakim,
perhaps, has seen its best days.
THE ROADS TO BEgBER AND KAs-
sALA.
There are two principal routes from
Suakim into the interior-6rst, the one
to Berber, ON the Nile, which is most
used, and, second, one to kassala, on
the Cash. AS both routes run through |
vast deserts, with few watering-places,
they will probably before long be
whitened by the bones Of English
soldiers. They are already marked
by the skeletons of many slaves
and their captors and the animals of
caravans. General Gordon as much
as ten years ago advocated railway
from Suakim to Berber, and an actual
survey of such road was made by
Colonel Prout. There is no doubt Of
the practicability of building this rail-
way, and its importance at this time
could not be overestimated.
From Suakim southwark there is but
little change in the coast. The noun
tains grow higher, and attain an eleva-
ton of between 5000 and 1000 feet,
even before we reach the Alpine region
of Africa, Abyssinia.
THE PORT OF MASsowAH.
Massowah is the next point of i'm
portance. Ii is situated on small
coral island of the same name. This is
the principal of small outlying group
OF islands of the Dahlac Archipelago.
This group partly closes the mouth of
the Gulf of Arkiko, which is but
shallow indentation Of the coast, scarce
ly worthy Of the name of gulf. The
names of the islands around Massowah
are |. Gerrar, |. Tau-cl-houd, and !.
rs Shiek Said. | have given these
names as | understood them from the ma
tiyes. They are variously and strangely
spelled on the English, French, and
German maps. Isle Tau-el-Houd takes
its name from its shape, the name mean
ing the "tail of fish," Isle Sheik
Said is so named because the tomb of
saint named Said is there found. All
of these islands are coral-formcd, and
of course are nearly bare of vegetation,
white and glaring in the hot sun.
The town of Massowah presents very
much the same appearance as Suakim
at distance, and for the same reasons.
II is perhaps the more attractive, as its
circle Of sister islets add variety to the
scene. The Governors palace, on a
point Of Isle Tau-ellioud, two mosques
with tall minarets, Catholic church
and mission station. the consulates of
France and England, the Government
building or Z" divan," and some dozen
houses owned by Greek, Jew, and
Hindoo traders, being located on
favored and prominent parts Of the
island, take complete possession of
the eye, and deceive one greatly
as to the size and character Of the town.
But on landing one is quickly unde-
ceived. Besides the buildings named,
there are none but the most wretched
huts, built mostly Of sea-grass straw
and palm leaves and boughs. The