The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-04-01
LETTER FROM EGYPT.
A Young Mans Trip up the Nile.

A Young Mans Trip up the Nile
To the courtesy Of Judge James Nc
Cauley, of Leeds, We are indebted fol
the following letter from Mr. Howard c.
a. Amory, a nephew of Mrs. Frank T
Whitney OF this town, who is now enjoy
ing the pleasures of foreign travel:
On BOARD DAHABEAH "HERoDorUs'
My DEAR UNCLE JAMES:
left New York on November 18th
with Mr.. Davis and party for trip up
the Father of Rivers, "the historic Nile,
and as wo are coming down the river aud
soon will start for the continent
thought you might like to hear some
| thing of our trip. After most delight
full Atlantic voyage by the Southern
passage on the Hamburg American
packets palatial steamer Furst Bismarck
we reached Gibraltar, where l went
ashore through the kindness of friend
as the passengers were not allowed to
land. A most pleasant hour was spent
in driving about Eugland's mighty for
tress, after which We left for Genoa
where passengers being landed the Bis
msrck proceeded to Naples, the terminus
of her voyage. On the day after our
arrival we took the Peninsular and Orient
Steamer Hydaspes for Alexandria. For
tune was with us again, and after a few
days of most placid weather, the famous
old light house "Pharos' at the entrance
to the harbor of the once famous seat of
learning and commerce, was sighted. II
was but few hours run to Cairo by
train, but We arrived at night so nothing
was to be seen. The sight that greeted
my eyes on the following morning is
beyond my powers of description. From
the piazza of the far famed Shephe cards
Hotel, one looks out on scene of
Oriental life such as exists no where else
L am told. Dragomen and donkey boys
in gay costumes, the latter with their
cute little beasts gaily decked, camels
led by swarthy Soudanese or Egyptian
country people, the latter better known
as "Fellaheese;" soldiers both Egyptian
and English, jugglers and men with
trained monkeys, and last but not least
the gay Sais or runners who go III front
of the carriages, all go to make up
scene which fairly makes ones brain
whirl. Cairo is most Interesting place,
and can hardly devote the time in this
letter to tell you of the things we saw,
and still there is much to do on our
return there. On December 18th we
started up the river, and owing to head
winds did not reach the first cataract
until we had been out forty days. Stops
were made at Abydos and Luxor to see
the temples. The former retains consid-
cradle of its coloring. About three
days were spent at the first cataract,
Assouan being the town there, and then
the sheiks or chiefs of cataract and
their tribes came on board bright and
early one morning to take US up the
rapids. Well, we had not gone more
than two miles, when just as we were
chiefs fell to quarreling concerning the
way the rudder should be put, whether
to starboard or port, and smash, bang!
we were on the rocks with a five inch
hole in the dahabeah. Fortunately the
hole was above the water line, and the
necessary repairs having been made we
wera foued harly N Acsnuop phara NJ
Davis hired a private steamer in which
we made the trip to the second cataract,
and saw the military station at Wadi
Halfa, where through the instrumentality
of English officers a good fortificstion
has been erected, by means of which the
fanatical dervishes, of which you have
no doubt heard, have been kept out OF
Egyptian territory. Ga February 18th
we started down the river. and after
remaining at Luxor again for some days
we again were off touching at Abydos
yesterday, where the temple was visited.
We are due in Cairo about the 22d of
March and We sail for Europe on the
31st. Italy will be thoroughly visited
and then we go to Paris, and after quite
stay there we leave for London where
the party is o remain until about the
LIST of June when we return to America.
l tell you it is great fun travelling and
this is no doubt the best thing for me
before go to work. Nevertheless 'theIe
is no place like home" and | never
realized it so much before. l sincerely
hope you have been able to decipher my
epistle, but in Egypt hieroglyphios are
the proper thing. Sincerely yours,
HOWARD C. A. AMoRY.
March LIST, 1898, 800 miles up Nile.