Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1893-04-21
The Miracle Of the Nile.

describes the low Nile:
The Nile has shrunk within its
banks until its stream is contracted
10 half its ordinary dimentions, ami
its turbid, Shiny, stagnant waters
scarcely seem TO flow in any direc-
ton. Broad flats or steep banks OF
black. sun baked Nile mud form both
the shores OF the river. All beyond
them is sand and sterility, FOR the
hansen. or sand wind OF 80 days
duration. has scarcely yet ceased TO
blow. The trunks aud branches OF
trees may be seen here and there
through the dusty, hazy, burning at
mosphere. but so entirely sre their
leaves coated with dust that at dis
tance they are not diStinGuishaole
from the desert sand that surrounds
them. 1t is only by the most painful
and laborious operation OF watering
that any tint approXimating 10 green
ness can be preserved at this season
even in the pleasure gardens OF the
PaSha. The first symptom oil the
termination of this most terrible sea-
son is the rising of the north wind
! (the Etesian wind OF the Greeks
blowing brisklv, often tiercely dur
ing the whole Of the day. The foil
age of the groves that cover lower
Egypt is soon disencumbered 10y 1t OF
/ the dust. and resumes its verdure.
The fierce fervors of the sun. then at
his highest ascension are also most
seasonably mitigated by the same
powerful agency, which prevails for
this and the three following months
throughout the entire land OF Egypt
Then at last comes the inundation
Perhaps there is not in nature
more exhilaratinS sight, or one more
strongly exciting TO confidence Ia
/ God. than the rise OF the Nile. Day
bv day and night by night its turbid
tide sweeps onward majestically over
| the parched sands OF the waste, howl
ing wilderness Almost hourly, as
we slowly ascended it before the
Etesian wind. we heard the thunder
iny fall of some mud bank, and saw
bv the rush of all animated nature to
the spot that the Nile had overleap-
ed another obstruction, and that It's
bounding waters were diiiuslng HE
and JOY through another desert.
There are few impressions / ever re
caiyed upon the remembrance OF
which | dwell with more pleasure
than that OF seeing the first burst OF
the Nile into one OF the great chan
nels OF its annual overflow. All ua
ture shouts for joy. The men, the
children. the buiTaloes gambol ~
its refreshing waters, the broad
waves sparkle with shoals OF fish.
aud fowl of every wing futter over
them in cloud Nor is this Jubilee
of nature confined TO the higher or
ders of creation The moment the
.
sand becomes mOi,tened by the APP
proach OF the fertiliziug waters, 1t !s
literally alive with insects innumer-
able. it is impossible 10 stand by the
side Of one OF these noble streams, TO
see il every moment sweeping away
some obstruction to its majestic
course. and widening as 1t flows,
without feeling the heart TO expand
with love and joy and confidence III
the great Author OF this annual
miracle of mercy
The effects Of the inuEdation, as
Osburn shows in another place, "eH-
hibit themselves in a scene OF fertility
and beauty such as will scarcely be
found in another country at any sea
son on the year-the vivid green OF
the springiug corn, the groves OF
pomegrp nate trees ablaze with The
rich scarlet OF their blossoms, the
fresh breeze laden with the perfumes
OF gardens OF roses and orange
thickets. every tree and every shrub
covered with sweet-scented flowers.
These are few OF the natural beau
ties that welcome the stranger to the
land Of Ham. There is considerable
sameness in them, IL Is true, for he
would observe little variety in the
trees and plants, whether he first en-
tered Egypt by the gardens Of Alex
andria or the plain OF Assouan. Yet
il is the same everywhere, only be
cause il would be impossible 10 make
auv addition TO the sweetness OF the
odors. the brilliancy Of the cOlors, or
the exquisite beauty on the many
forms OF vegetable lie, in the midst
OF which he wanders. II il mOnOto
nous. but IL j. the monotOny Of para
disc.
The flood reaches Cairo on dav
closely apprOKimating 10 that OF the
summer eolstice. II attains IT. great
est height and begins to dsciinr near
the autuunai equinox. BY the win
ter sylstice the Niie has again sub
sided within its banks and resumes its
/ blue color. Seed time has occurred
in this interval. The year in Egypt
divides itself into three season-four
months Of sowing and growth, cor
responding nearly with our Noysm-
Der. December, January and Febru-
ary: four months Of harvest from
March 70 June the four months Of
the inundation completing the cycle.
London Nature.
t.J., 2, ., II - tl., Ia .<ar,-