Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1889-05-07
HELD BY A ROPE.
Dangerous Predlcament of Party
of En2lishmen.

Egypt has been called the Gift OF
the Nile, and every thing in the land Is
connected with the movements OF the
great artery that is the life OF the
country.
The seventeenth OF June is the
"night OF the drop" and is celebrated
as festival. Moore in his Lalla
Rookh tells us OF the power of
"The drop that down from the moon,
Falls through Q healing air OF June"
According to the ancient legends.
Isis, the goddess OF Egypt, weeps over
the aridness OF the country, and the
tear falling from her eye into the Nile
causes the overflow which brings
renewed life to the land. The Cairenes
spend the night beside the river.
either in the open air or in houses
near the bank, and practice all sorts of
ceremonies. Each member OF the
family places piece OF dough on the
roof; II the dough rises, happiness is in
store for the fortunate one who placed
1t there; II not. it is an i'll omen.
Ten days later the river slowly
begins to rise, and the Nile crier goes
through the streets every morning
with the latest bulletin as to the
height OF the water. The great festiv-
ity OF the year is the Wefa or the
cutting OF the dam. which takes place
between the tenth and fourteenth OF
August.
Egypt is now no longer vast lake
during the inundation MS 1t formerly
was. The water is conducted into a
network OF canals and reservoirs, and
distributed as it is needed, and eSgi-
neers are appointed to see that there
is no loss nor waste. Levees are built
TO keep the waters within bounds. and
many Of the villages are connected by
these, while others can only be reached
by boat
When We reached Egypt In the
middle of October, the inundation was
at the highest point, higher than it
had been for years. To attempt the
journey to the pyramids was, we were
told, madness. the whole face OF the
country between Ghizeh and the city
being under water. But the flood
would not abate for weeks, and we
could not wait. and so decided to try
It,
Selecting our donlSeys with care, we
started out, party OF four including
the dragoman and the leader OF the
little animals, which are the street-car
of Egypt. The donkey boy, very
bright little fellow of fourteen years,
was a family man he told us proudly,
with two wives and four children, and
he supported his whole establishment
on one franc day he earned by talk
ing care OF the donkeys.
On past the city out into the oper
we rode, congratulating ourselves thai
we had not needed the advice given
us.
Our route lay along a high eIisaa's
ment beside one OF the numerous
canals which cncircle the city, and ,
more beautiful scene can not be imag
ined. The water was almost up will
the banks. and in the sunlight glitteret
and glistened. Tall reeds and rushei
with waving plumes beautifully greer
lined the shore, and the reflection II
the water gave back every leaf an'
twig.
Then suddenly and abruptly tn
dyke was cut of, and before us was
sheer descent into the yellow water
The force OF the waves had under
mined the foundation. and IL had sunk
What to do next was the question.
Yussef got down, and went forwar,
to explore. Finally he came bac
with the intelligence that there was
boat a little way back. which woul
take us II we were willing to go In tina
way. Turning, we rode to where
curve in the embanlsment formed
Tiny cove, and there was the boat,
long, dirty. weather-beaten craft, wit
the immensely high mast and the ode
shaped sail that they use only on tn
Nile.
Leaving our donkeys to the boy wh
was to take them back to the city, W
embarked and pushed off. The littl
boat rocked and reeled with the fore
of the current. but the boatmen SCENE
10 know their business, and piloted
safely enough, though 1t was no cas-
task. The tallest trees were ha
under water, and the smallest wei
wholly submerged; and when one lea
expected it, he was apt to run u
against one, for the water was so thic
with mud that nothing could be sec
Q below the surface.
Men wore at work upon the embanl
ments strengthing them, and q bus
g scene the green terraces rising up OF
e of the yellow water presented. Whel
. the rush had swept the dykes COL
y plotely away, they wore throwing co
!, Meeting bridges. ! was forcibiy r
: minded of the scenes at home, wh'
the Mississippi bursts its bounds al
breaks through the levees. Evel
available force on the plantation is 8
to work TO strengthen the barrier Tn
. keeps off the waters. II was all u
more striking, as the fellnhin and o
Southern negroes closely resemf