Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-03-13
The LAND OF THE pHARAoHs.
Nerooa Day and Its Festivities--Aner the
Nile Has Withdrawn.

/
That not only the Egyptian season
should be regulated by the rise of tn
Nile, but that the modern Arab shouI
even go so far as TO date the coming il
OF the New Year from the day when it !
supposed to reach its highest point, i
significant of the preponderating influ
ence that the Nile still exercises on Egyp
tian life. The Mohammedan mode @
reckoning time, with It's lunar months
never quite supplanted the old Copti,
calendar. The Copts, probably follow
ing the custom Of the Pharaohic Egyp
tians, always began their year in the
part Of the calendar corresponding with
our September, and the Moslems il
Egypt have had to conform to this usage
their agricultural year beginning or
the 10th or 18th of the Coptic month
loot.
The Coptic New Years day, or "Ne.
rooz' day, is thel an occasion for un.
usual merrymai;ing. Those who have
no almanac are not allowed to remain
long in ignorance of the day and its pc
culiar features. The Muniadee or crier
OF the Nile comes round, perambulatinS
every street in Cairo, and letting every
one know that the mile is full" His
duties are now nearly over. He has been
Mt his monotonous chant ever since the
3D. of July-the 9th of the Coptic month
Ba-ooueh-when he began to proclaim
how much the river rose every day. The
measure of the old Nilometer in the
Island of Rhoda, in Old Cairo, is sup
posed to guide his statement. But no
one depends upon his accuracy; and, in
deed, the Cairene little troubles himself
about it unless an abnormal delay on the
part of the river has aroused a general
apprehension. His perambulations of
the capital have become little more than
m opportunity for a sing-song repetition
Of religious commonplace, and an inn
Fortunate appeal to the heart of the
householder.
Nerooz day in upper Egypt is a great
occasion for festivities. 1t is period of
enforced idleness to the husbandman.
He has done ali he can for his fields, and
now he leaves the river to play his part,
his labor not recommending till the Nile
has withdrawn again and the soil begins
70 dry. While his hoe and his pillow are
aid Up he brings out his fiddle and his
tamborine. The fantasia" holds undis-
puted sway; and the brown-shirted
farmer in masquerade attire INDUCES in
antics resembling somewhat the eccen-
5ricities of the Latin carnival. On the
same day or at any rate, at the same sea-
ION, the ancient Egyptians engaged in
similar sports and pastime5; and the god
ThOt and Hermes. whose fete fell on the
10th of the Coptic month loot, was hon
pred with festival very like Narooz
lay.
After the Nile has withdrawn, and the
1elds have begun to dry, the Stritawee,
Dr. winter season, begins in earnest. This
s the most important period of the year
:or agricultural operations, especially in
1pper Egypt, wheat, barley, lentils
beans, peas, clover, etc., being raised ON
The rich alluvial soil that the overflow
aas made. The lands so inundated are
called the "rei" lands; those that are too
aigh for the inundation to reach are
called the "sharakee" lands. The latter,
aever receiving any rain, in upper Egypt
1t any rate, owe their crops entirely to
artificial irrigation. But these lands are
commonly made to bear three and some
lines four crops in succession, whereas
he rel" only produce one crop, which
s sown in October or early November,
md reaped the following March, April,
or May.
Wheat is put in as soon as the water
aas turned into mud. While the soil is
still mire the primitive plough is passed
1nce over it and the seed sown broadcast.
Barley is sown in November and har-
vested in May, when it is pulled up by
The roots like maize, and not subjected
70 the sickle like wheat. Beans are sown
IN October and gathered in March
Clover sown Immediately after inunda-
ton ripens in two months, and in some
ands as many as four crops of this
prime necessity for cattle of all sorts are
grown within the twelve months. The
plough (mihra) of Joseph's time serves
10 scratch the Shiny, stoneless soil. 1t
consists of pole, handle and share,
all Of wood, the latter only being tipped
with iron. Narrowing is. accomplished
by a palm branch dragged by cattle over
the surface. London Globe.