The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-03-06
THE LAND OF THE PHARAOHS.
Seroos Day and Its Festivities After the
Nile Has withdrawn.

Seroos Day and Its Festivities the
Nile Has withdrawn.
That not only the Egyptian seasons
should be regulated by the rise OF the
| Nile, but that the modern Arab should
aven go SO far as to date the coming in
of the New Year from the day when 1t 1t
supposed TO reach its highest point, Is
significant Of the preponderating influ-
snce that the Nile still exercises on EgyP
tan life. The Mohammedan mode OF
reckoning time, with its lunar months,
never quite supplanted the old Coptic
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 in
! Envpt have had 10 conform 10 this usage
their agricultural yer beginning on
the 10th or 18th Of the Coptic month
! Foot.
The Coptic New Years day, or -Ne-
| ROOF" day, is then an occasion for UNI
usual merrymaking. Those who have
! no almanac are not allowed 70 remain
long in ignorance of the day and its Pc
! culiar features. The Muniadee or crier
Of the Nile comes round perambulating
| every street in Cairo, and letting every
| ono know that the Nile is full" His
tuties are now nearly over. He has been
at his monotonous chant ever since the
81 OF July--the eth of the Coptic month
Ba-ooueh when he began to proclaim
how much the river rose every day. Tho
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 Calrene little troubles himself
about it unless an abnormal delay on tho
part of the river has aroused general
apprehension. His perambulations of
the capital have become little more than
an opportunity for a sing song repetition
Of religious coinmonplaces, and an I'M
Fortunate appeal 10 the heart OF the
householder.
Nerooz day in upper Egypt is great
occasion for festivities. 1t is period OF
enforced idleneSs to the huSbanIman.
He has done all he can for his fields, and
now he leaves the river 10 play his part,
his labor not recommending till the Nile
has withdrawn again and the soil begins
to dry. While his hoe and his pillow are
laid ~ he brings out his fiddle and his
tarnborine. The fantasia holds undls-
puted sway; and the rown-shirted
farmer III masquerade attire INDUCES IN
antics resembling somewhat the eccen-
tricities Of the Latin carnival. On the
same day or at any rate, ut the same sea-
son, the ancient Egyptians engaged in
similar sports and pLstllnes; and the god
Thot anl II 'rm IS. whose tet1 fell on the
18th OF the Coptic month loot, was hon.
ored with festival very Ike NeroOz
day.
After the Nile has withdrawn, and the
fields have begun to dry, the Strltawee.
or winter season, begins IN earnest This
is the most important period OF the year
for agricultural operations, especially in
upper Egypt, wheat, barley, lentils
beans, peas, clover, etc, being raised on
the rioh ulluvial soil that the overflow
has made. The lands 50 inundated are
called the rel" lands; those that are too
nIEn lbE Iht .LihilA''GiO4l w iN-iNh 'AO
called the "sharaitee' lands. The latter,
never receiving any rain, III upper Egypt
Of any rate, owe they crops entirely to
artificial irrigation. But these lands are
commonly made TO bear three and somo-
times four crops in succession, whereas
| the "rei" only produce one crop, which
| is sown in October or early November.
and reaped the following March, April,
or May.
Wheat IL put in as soon NJ the water
has turned into mud. While the soil ~
stll mire the primitive plough rs passed
lonco owe. 1t and the seed sOWn broadcast.
BARLEY il sown in November and har-
vested in May, when it il pulled up by
the roots like maize, and not subjected
to the sickle ike wheat. Beans are sown
in Ostober and gathered IN March.
Glover sown immediately after Inunda-
ton ripens in two months, and III some
lands as many "a four crops of this
prime necessity for cattle Of I'll sorts are
grown within the twelve months. The
plough (mibrat) of Joseph's time serves
to scratch the shiny, stoneiess soil. IL
consists OF pole, q handle and share,
all of wood, the latter only being tipped
with iron. narrowing is accomplished
by palm branch dragged by cattle over
tho surface. London Globe.