Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1895-08-16
FLOOD OF THE NILE.
THE GREATEST EVENT or ALL THE
YEAR AT CAIRO.


Into the Canal-The Ancient NiIometer
ON the Island of Roda-
The tourist who only comes to Egypt to
shun winter and foul weather. knows
nothing of the majestic glories of the
Nile food. The ancient Nilometer at
the south end of the island of Roda, Just
above Cairo, is one of the most interest
ing sights of the place. The water en-
tiers from the river by culvert into
well about IS feet square, with gradu-
ated stone pillar in the center. On each
side of the we'll is a recess about feet
wide and 8 feet deep, surmounted by
pointed arch, over which, is carved in
relief Kufic inscription, and a similar
inscription is carried all around the
well, consisting of verses of the Koran.
A staircase goes down the well, from
the steps of which the initiated may
read the height Of the water on the pill
lar, but they are few in number, and the
hereditary sheikh of the Nilometer,
whose duty it is to keep the record, is
a person of some Importance. The Mil
ometer dates from A. d. 861, and be-
found the daily record for 1000 years.
I need hardly tell you that when our
English engineers took the river in hand
we established a number of gauges at
Wadi-Halia, Assuan, Cairo and many
other points on more scientific principles
than the venerable Nilometer of the
Roda island.
After the river has begun to rise it's
height is daily chapted through the
Cairo streets until it reaches 16 cubits
on the gauge. At this point the Khalig
ell Masri, the old canal that flows through
the heart of Cairo, is opened-up to this
point it is dry, and full or empty it is
little more than a sanitary abomination
at present, but in former days it occu-
pied an important place, and when the
Nile water was high enough to flow
down its bed it was looked on that the
flood had fairly set in, and that the kind
ly fruits of the earth might be duly ex-
pected.
The head Of this canal is on the right
bank Of the river, just south of Cairo
The water enters channel some 80 feet |
wide, with high wall on its left and a
sloping bank on its right or southern
flank. The water then flows under the
pointed arch of an old stone bridge. The
bed of the canal is cleared so that it
would flow in at gauge of about 14b
cubits, but an earthen bank is thrown
across it about four feet higher.
There is no more interesting ceremony
in Egypt than the annual cutting of the
khalig, as the opening ceremony is
called. 1t takes place between Aug. 5
and 15 Days before preparations are
made for the festival Tents with innu-
merable lamps are placed along the wall
on the one side. Frames for all manner
of fireworks are erected on the sand bank
on the other side. All the notables are
there in full uniform or in canonicals.
The khedive himself or his representa-
tive, the Sheikh I'll Islam, the highest
dignitary of the Mohammedan faith
the Sheikh Ell Belzri, the Sheikh ell Sadat,
all the learned scribes Of the great uni
versity of the Azhar, the cabinet minis
ters and under secretaries, the sirder of {
the army and his staff, the judges and
The fnanciers.
The Egyptian troops are turned out,
salutes are fred, and about s o'clock in
The warm summer night the classes all
assemble under the gayly lighted tents,
the masses crowd round the frames for
The fireworks, the street is lined with
narem carriages full Of closely yelled
figures, though it is not much that they
IAN see from their broughams. Out in
Tho I'M OF nr,noCifn fIa 20 1. -
IS moored an old hulk of a certain sea- !
going outline, which has been towed up !
rom Bulak during the day and is an
emblem of the time when the great re-
public of Venice sent an envoy to wit
1ess the ceremony. This boat is full of =
lamps, and fireworks too. AS the night
1eepens the excitement increases. The
oopulace on the bridge and opposite
bank are shouting, yelling and dancing
wildly round the fireworks.
On the other side are the gay uniforms
md lighted tents, from which we can
ook over the wall down on the dark wa
er, where you see brown figures plung-
ng in and, waist deep, digging with
heir hoes at the embankment that
blocks the canals mouth. Long before :
midnight the fireworks have gone out
md left the splendid stars to themselves;
he grandees have all gone to bed, but
he people keep up the revelry, and in \
he morning, by 1880, every one has
ome back. Then but little of the bank
s left uncut, and few more strokes of
he big hoes will do it, and the brown
kins and brown water reflect the bright
unlight from above. Then the Sheik hui
slam solemnly thanks the Almighty,
Allah the all powerful, the all merciful.
ie implores his blessing on the flood, =
nd at a signal the bank is cut, the wa
ers rush in, and with them crowd of
winners. A bag of silver piasters is /
catered among them, and the ceremony ii
8 at an nd-Nature. g
Always on Time.