St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-24
NAVIGATING THE NILE.
Return of the Northwestern Yoyageurs From
the SOudan.

were registered from the rlVer MIC, bSJ wv
Capts. Russell and Seegers reside in this
state and Capt Robinson is the weil-knowh
steamboat man and navigator OF winnipeg
The gentlemen have Just returned from
the seat of the Soudan war anu tneir resi-.
dence in Egypt has been at the instance Vi
the British government, in whose employ
they have been introducing stern-Wheel
steamers to the waters of the Nile. The
steamers hitherto used by the BRUSH
n rnment in its war against
ne Arabs of the Soudan nave
been incapable of passing the famous
and dangerous eataracts of the Nile, and 1t
was not until recently that the obstacles III
the way have been overcome. A couple VI
sterp-wheelers were built by the government
last year, and the gentlemen named hao tne
honor of making the first successful expert
ments in passing the cataracts.
AS the engineering force of the British
government was not skilled in navigating
stern-wheel boats, Capts. Robinson, Russell
and Seegers and Capt. Jerry Weber were
employed to take charge Of the boats and at
tempt the hazardous undertaking.
Cant. Russell was seen by GLOBE
reporter Yesterday afternoon and IN the IN
terview which followed some very interesting
information was CLEANED.
IN SPEAKING OF HIS UNDERTAKING,
Capt. Russell said that his party had been
employed by the government on the 10th OF
last October to take charge OF two steel
steamers constructed with the view OF navi-
eating the Nile, their use being to transport
spies. troops and supplies from Alexandra
to the front or the seat OF war, or more
properly, 10 form link in the chain con-
Meeting Gen. Lennox with Gems. Wolseley
and Gordon.
In referring to his experience Capt. Rus
sell in substance then said:
'Aftcr reaching Alexandria we took
charge of the Water Lily, one of the govern
ment boats, and proceeded up the Nile, the
entire distance travelled being 900 miles.
This boat was then used for carrying mail
between Assouan and Wady Halfa, the first
and second cataracts, distance of 225
miles. Capt Robinson was in charge and
Capt Webber acted US pilot, and they made
one trip week"
Capt Seegers and myself were then
transferred to another boat to run above the
Sennah cataract. We took her in charge and
completed
OUR FIRST TRIP
Jan. /. We took the steamer to Dongola,
lpOluJ ABOVE WuaL is huOWu ds VIC
cataract, the distance being $50 mics"
''What do / understand by the cataracts,
captain ~ queried the reporter.
THERE ARE SEVEN CATARACTs
In all, and they are very dangerous and pc
cullar For some distance the water of the
Nile PUSHES through broken ridges of granite
and rock. These ridges are of every conceiv-
able formation, and the water foams into
cf
whrlpools after another the current being
fearfully strong and swift. As may be i'm
agined, the task of taking stern-wheeer
through these treacherous eddies was not an
easy one but we made it successfully. Our
two boats covered distance in their trips of
500 miles, aud by thus overcoming
the cataracts, continuous chain of COM
munication was established between Alexan-
dria and Soudan or the front where the
lighting took place After We landed tie
troops and supplies, they were
CARRIED TO THE FRONTIER on CAMELs.'
''How do YOU regard the situationin
''At present it is discOuragiug for the
British; they haven't got force enough for
effective warfare, and besides the warm
weather will soon be on them, and this will
constitute formidable drawback. Before
they get through with It, however, think
England will send enough men TO clean out
the enemy"
"Are the natives favorable on the whole in
the vicinity where you werci"
''The leaders are, but the sentiment Of
the great mass Of the people is against the
British The Mahdi and his forces are help
ing the British now. At first good mans Of
his people were not disposed to join in the
movement, but they were compelled 10 obey.
part Of Egypt being peopled by Africans and
the further up you 80 the darker they be-
come, while the lower part is inhabited by
Arabs In Soudan they are as dark as
negroes.
THE ARABS HOLD SWAY
as far as Assollu. and from there mp the
country is occupied by the darker skinned
race In the SOudau some OF the males aud
females, too, for that matter, 80 almost
naked; but strange 10 say, they arc a moral
class Of people in their way. The women
never look at a white man aud for intimacy
or marriage the penalty is death. At Alex
Rnda the ladies go yelled as do the upper
class In all the Egyptian cities; only the
common people, such as peddlers aud store
keepers, exposing their faces.
The climate OF Egypt 10 the winter sea-
son Is the most delightful in the world. In
Cairo, which Is beautiful city, snd Alexan-
dria the gardens bloom all winter, the tenn
perature getting as high as 90 in the shade
while at nisht have seen II as low as -.
rus AVERAGE TEMPERATURE
is from 50 to So. The scenery of the Nile
from Cairo, where the pyramids are. TO the
cataraets is very grand and impressive.
There is 10 be seen the remains OF the old
temples and The watch toners, aud many other
ancient objects OF interest 10 the tourist
Cairo IS 4 beautiful city. In size 1t is about
like st. Louis The streets are wide, aud tue
houses arc we'll built and kept, the principal
charm consisting in the yer5sut aud lux
urious gardens. The climste IS very healthtul.
aud the oaly pest Is the millions of little
flies. They are about half as large as d house
IN, aud they get into your eyes, cars and
mouth To spite Of all precautions. The city
81 Luxor is lovely spot, aud a
great resort for tourists. but owing
10 the war and the lack OF mcans
OF transportation there are very few pleas
ure-scekcrs 10 be seen this winter. The
river Nile IS majestic in It's breadth and
great sweep, aud the water Is pure aud
healthiuL although /, needs 70 be filtered be-
fore being drunk
1T Is THE INTENTION
o; ;he British goverumr 20 construct about
q dozen Sicrp-wheei steamers, aud now that
the experiment % taking them above the
rapids has been accomplished, you nav look
lCr fruitful results. We scco1n ultshed our
mission in goci shape. and We left
our boats running all right Gen.
6reu6I Is 10 charge Of the Nile
,roops. aud &c Vas delighted when We eos
her majysty's ship The Lotus tAruagh sue
gesslul5y.
I'VE len Alexandria about month ago, aud
en- route home We stopped al Loo3ou four
DAYS. passed day in Paris. day in Turin.
two DAYS in Cairo. aud A couple ~ DAYS in