The Arizona sentinel., 1888-02-25

"Whenever a European inhabitant
 of inc City of Alden, Arabia. has cast
 off this nor tai coil and is about 10 be
 consigned to mother earth, his friends
 place thick, heavy blanket in the
 c, fin, so as to make the change of
 climate not too severe for him." was
 the tale that had been drummed into
 my ears by ansold sman-of-war's man
 who had visited Alden before. Sailors
 yarns, it is said, must be taken with a
 grain of salt, and I felt reluctancy
 to believe the. above statement, but
 my doubts passed away before being
 an hour ,ia, that hottest of all hot
 places in the universe. Just think of
 it, for nine months in the year the thermometer is never below
 125 in the shade, a steady North erly breeze drives the hot wind which
 has swept over the sandy desert down
 to the city, and inc high chain of mountains facing the Gulf of Alden
 keep it in the valley where the city lies. The captain of Peninsula and
 Oriental steamer designated Alden as the handle of hades," and the name is not inappropriate.
 For seven long years the heavens had refused to shed tears over thls dry country, and the grandest reservoirs in the world. builtin the fifth century. and having a capacity of 3O.O00, 900 gallons, were as devoid of moisture as the hearts of the native inhabitants are of love for the power that has gar risoned the town with its soldiery. We dropped our anchor in front of a little hamlet on the beach of the Gulf of Alden, where the English Government has put up several immense distilling machines which turn the waters of the ocean into liquid fit for man and beast, and yet Idoubt if the English officers or officials imbibe very much of the re- suits of those machines. as the first and last words of the hospitable greet ings we received were: "Will you take a B and SP' brandy and soda).
 This place is the stopping point for the hundreds of steamers that ply be- tween Suez and the Indies, China. Japan and Australia and men must admire the far sightedness of the Brit ish Government in gaining possession of this piece of territory. and by their admirable manner of never doing things half way, making it citadel which has withstood the numerous at- tacks from Arab tribes inland, and can defy any attempt from outsiders 10 capture it We explored first the little hamlet spoken of It is only row of stores and offices. but to procure if possible, an idea of the manner in which European humanity of the mili- tary life live there we mounted the steep hill upon which the seaward for tifcations are built, and found them garrisoned by five companies of En- gIish and regiment of Sepoy troops. They keep regiment seven years in | this frying-pan, and during that pe- rioi about sixty per cent. of the off cers have to beasent home on sick | leave, and this result is easily und er- | stood when it is known that not a blade of grass or any thing green in vegetation is ever seen upon thls | lonely, treeless, comfortless, barren rock One does not wonder that | ''B. anl S." is often the grave digger for many noble English soldier boys. An Irish lady, the wife of non-commissioned officer of an English c ,mpany. told us that she had been there five years, arrived with four blooming children, born at the regi- ment's former quarters, Donegal; that al of those and two born at this terri ble Spot. had died, and that she ex- pecieI that Tim. the husband, would soon join the little ones.
 The next day we made our trip to the city, which is about1five miles dis tant from the landing, and choice of had to be made from a troop of camels, donkeys, horses, and vehicles In time cara van was made up of nine horses and Two camels, the latter being an experi- ment tried for novelty's sake. The camel of Alden is a very dociIe, easy.