Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-03-09
EXTRACTS FROM DIARIES KEPT DURING
TOUR THROUGH EGYPT AND PALESTINE IN
THE WINTER AND SPRING OF LAST YEAR.


by a franciscan friar. They tell me they
are Catholics. They mean Roman Catholics,
but | am but too glad TO see the results of
self denying, patient labor, even if not en-
tirely according to my personal views The
boys cling TO me and escort me to the re
Gently discovered statue, whose guardian
pounces on them and beats them off. Ipro
tect them, and they become sacred for the
time being only Mr.. GuaI dian, who has
interfered with my pleasure, claims back
shish / give it as the easiest way 10 get
rid Of him. When we reach the steamer
aud am ready to reward my young atten-
dants, dozen donkey boys precipitate
themselves, aud surround us 10 divide the
gift. | have to beat them off, literally,
rescue my Young friends, who have lost
their turbans, and lead them on TO the gang
way, where we are in security from the ILL
behaved crowd And it is so wherever we
go.
The evening on deck is warm and com
Portable We have become acquainted with
our fellow travellers the Professor secures
the good will OF three American young la
dies born in Colorado, who wrap him up in
shawls and make him stay under the avn
ing instead Of retiring to his den. My pen
is but the translator of sweet memories.
Birds of feather flock together'-w
prefer Americans to all others.
On February 18th we leave Luxor and
steam up the river four hours to big vii
lage called Esneh, where We find, for the
first time, whitewashed houses, even one
yellow, another blue great mans villa
and garden the whole quite picturesque,
with u road along the Nile almost cieaH-a
novelty which enjoy greatly. The market
place is a most animated spot with a large
mosque on one side it is full of chattering
and bargaining natives. We reach the
temple-or rather its portico, the only part
which has been eXcavated or emptied in
side. The outside is yet half buried The
English used it as powder magazine and
thus is explained its great cleanliness and
easy access by stairs of bricks and wood
Although the temple is a modern one, only
1000 years old, it gives me more pleasure
than much older ones Wonderful TO say
We are almost free from beggars we hear
but little the hateful word "backshish 50
For the first time find the time devoted
to a temple too short. Truly, cleanliness
is next to godlness.
We reach Edfoo by three o'clock p. NJ,
witness free fight between our crew and
the donkey people, who swarm on shore and
n Aa ha IN at nd
We ride for a mile to another modern Ptol-
emy's temple 1t has been entirely cleared
and cleaned huge doors have been put at
the entrance, with guardians. We can ex-
anime it thoroughly without annoyances.
1t is so that every monument in Egypt ought
to be kept, even if travellers had TO pay an
! entrance fee for their keeping. Later !
will have an opportunity to discuss the mat
ter with the director and supervisor of all
ancient monuments We roam about ex-
anime sculptured hieroglyphics climb on
TO the high walls, from which we overlook
the whole breadth of the Nile valley be
tween its two ranges Of hills When we
issue from the temple we find the usual
ravenous crowd of natives Only a few
years ago their mud houses were built over
the buried temple, whose existence they ig-
nored to-day they are like vultures after
their prey. We are glad to reach the boat
and escape our tormentors. As usual dc
not attempt 10 describe the temple you
will have to read it over in some book
When it is too dark to go on, our boat is
! -. Il Al l..
| is only 100 feet wide. In the hills are tive
villages of Bedouins, and we are warned
not to wander off too far alone. We are in
the desert, and away from civilization. But
even here is an old blind man receiving aims
"a saint for the natives. In an enclosure
three camels eat their supper of chopped
straw pick branch of the shrub henne
whose dried leaves, bruised and boiled, give
the dye used by the Moslems for their nails
hands and feet for good luck Our men g
after milk and spring water in the neigh
borhood. Altogether it has been a good
day.
We steam all next day, and reach Assou
an at four o'clock. We are at the end OF
our journey Here begin rapids and mar
rows extending along seven miles and dub
bed first cataract of the Nile. Whel
the river is high, small boats can go through
them: now it would he difficult Henc,
Assouan has become an important point
All goods sent by boats have to be carried
over the seven miles by camels and don
keys Much activity follows, although
since the fall of Khartoum trade has beer
almost suspended and people are very pool
in consequence.
The English had concentrated their troop
at Assouan. The Cooks made contract t,
carry up the river Al, 600 tons of provisions
among them quantities Of medical com
forts, under which name champagne an,
wines of all sorts were designated-ev ION
boxes of toilet paper. Now the English ar,
evacuating Assouan we have met man!
barges full of soldiers, towed down by hind
wheeled tug boats. On the river banl
about 1000 tons of provisions remain to b.
moved also. remark quantity of boXei
of Armour's Chicago beef in tins Ameri
can products invade the world our boat il
lighted by Pennsylvania petroleum.
No hotel of any sort in Assouan, a city
entirely Egyptian. The Cooks keep a mum
ber Of boats as hotels for officers soldier
are under tents. In consequence, the rivel
presents AN animated scene, with a land
scape extremely picturesque-palm treei
Tor miles and background of bare hills
Being on the borders of Nubia the Negro
faces become more numerous Opposite III
is the Elephantine island-formerly covered
with edifces, today a mass of ruins no
worth visiting, and further spoiled 10y
swarms of boys and girls, dirty, begging
and trying TO sell all sorts of trash Mos
of the children have sore eyes the mothers
do not wash them and believe it will brinl
i'll luck if they expel the flies. have seer
a score of flies, or more, on the eyes of ont
child, the child making no effort to brusl
them away 1t is horrid Were it not fo
that abomination, many children would b.
attractive enough Girls wear often a gol'
nose ring, and two silver rings in each ca
in the lower and upper lobe. Glass-bea'
necklaces abound a few silver bracelets
The general aspect is one of great poverty
of abject uncleaniness. The shops or ba
Ears of Assouau are very poor a few os
trich eggs and feathers at high prices Is
each) and strings of shells used by the ne
groes of the Soudan instead of money
The soldiers have attracted after them tn