, 1886-03-12
The LAND OF HE pAAaAoAs.
Eeroo1 Day and Its Festivities After thu
Nile Has Withdrawn.

seroo1 Day and Its Festivities After thu
Nile Has withdrawn.
That not only the Egyptian seasons
should be regulated by the rise Of the
Nile, but hat the modern Arab should
even go 80 far as TO date the coming in
Of the New Year from the day when it is
supposed to reach its highest point. IS
significant Of the preponderating inhu-
enoe that the Nile still exercises on Egyr
tian 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 tho Pharaohic Egyp-
tians, always began their year in the
part OF the calendar corresponding with
our September. and the Moslems in
Egypt nave had to conform to this usage
their agricultural year beginning on
the 10th or 18th Of the Coptic month
loot.
The Coptio New Years day, or NE
ROOF" day, is then an occasion for un-
usual merrymaking. Those who have
no almanac are not allowed to remain
long in ignorance Of the day and its pc
CuDhf ltNAuitis ihb A1uiliNutt OF fIltI
of the Nile comes round, perambulating
overy street in Cairo, and letting every
one know that the mile is full His
duties are now nearly over, He has been
at his ~monotonous chant ever since the
Sd Of July-the 27th OF the Coptic month
Ba-ooueh-when he began TO proclaim
how much the river rose every day. The
messurs 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
decd, the Cairene little troubles himself
about it unless an abnormal delay on the
part Of ths river has aroused a general
apprehension. His perambulations OF
the capital have become little more than
N opportunity for a sing-song repetition
Of religious c~ommonplaces, and an I'M
Fortunate appeal TO the heart Of the
householder.
r Nerooz day in upper Egypt is a great
occasion for festivities. 1t is a period Of
enforced idleness to the h~usbandman.
BE has done all 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has withdrawn again and the soil begins
TO dry. While his hoe and his pillow are
laid up he brings out his fiddle and his
tamborine. The "fantasiar holds undis-
puted away; and the brown-shited
farmer In masquerade attire INDUCES in
antics resembling somewhat the eccen-
t~ricities OF the Latin carnival. On the
same day or at any rate, at the same sea-
son tho ancient Egyptians engaged in
similar sports and pastimess and the god
Thot and Hermes. whose fete fell on the
10Th of the Coptic month loot, was non
ored with a festival very like Nerooz
day.
After the Nile has Withdrawn, and the
fields have begun to dry, the Stritawee,
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 rich alluyial soil that the overflow
has made. The lands so inundated are
oatled the rel" lands; those that are too
high for the ~inundation TO reach are
called the "sharakeen lands. The latter,
never receiving any rain, in upper Egypt
at any rate, owe their crops entirely to
artificial irrigation. But these lands are
commonly made to bear three and some
times four crops in succession, whereas
the "reiT only produce one crop. which
is sown in October or early November,
and reaped the following March, April,
or May.
Wheat is put in as soon as the water
has turned into mud. While the soil is
still mire the primitive plough is passed
onoe over 1t 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
to the sickle like wheat. Beans are sown
in October and gathered in March.
Glover sown Immediately after inunda-
ton ripens in two months, and in some
lands as many as four crops of this
prime necessity for cattle Of all sorts arc
grown within the twelve months. The
plough (mihrat) Of Joseph's time serves
10 scratch the Shiny, stoneless soil. 1t
consists of a pole, a handle and a 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.