Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1895-03-15
CANAL OF JOSEPH.
IN is 1000 YEARS OLD AND STILL
GOOD.
A Relic of Engineering Of Many Centu-
ries Ago.


Of the nineteenth century will there be
in existence in the year 5000? Very
few, we fear. and still less those that
will continue in the far-off age to serve
a useful purpose. Yet there is at least
one great undertaking conceived and
executed by an engineer which during
the space of four thousand years has
never ceased its Office. on which the
life of fertile province absolutely
depends to-day. We refer to the Bahr
Joussuf-tie canal of Joseph-built,
according to tradition, by the son of
Jacob, and which constitutes not the
least of the many blessings he con-
ferred on Egypt during the years of
his prosperous rule
This canal took its rise from the Nile
at Asiut, and ran almost parallel with
it for nearly two hundred and fifty
miles, creeping along under the west
ern cliffs of the Nile valley, with many
bend and winding, until at length it
gained an eminence, as compared with
the river bed, which enabled it to
turn westward through a narrow pass
and enter district which was other
wise shut off from Tie fertilizing floods
on which all vegetation in Egypt de-
ponds. The northern end stood seven
teen feet above low Nile, while at the
southern end it was at an equal eleva-
ton with the river. Through this cut
ran a perennial stream, which watered
province named the Fayoum. endowing
it with fertility and supporting large
population. In the time of the annual
flood great part of the canal was
under the water, and then the
rivers current would rush in a
more direct course into the pass, car
rying with it the rich silt which takes
the place of manure and keeps the soil
in state of constant productiyeness.
All this, with the exception of the
traditions that Joseph built it, can be
verified today, and it is not mere sup
position or rumor. Until eight years
ago it was firmly believed that the de.
sign has always been limited to an irri.
CATION scheme, larger, no doubt, than
that now in operation, as shown by tho
traces of abandoned canals, and by the
slow aggregation of waste water which
had accumulated in the Birket ell Que
run, but still essentially the same in
character. Many accounts have been
written by Greek and Roman historic
ans, such as Herodotus, Strabo, Mutt
anus and Pliny, and repeated in monk
ish legends or portrayed i'll the maps
of the middle ages, which agreed with
the folklore of the district.
These tales explained that the canal
dug by the ancient Israelite served to
carry the surplus waters of the Nile
into an extensive lake lying south of
the Fayoum, and SO large that it not
only modified the climate, tempering
the arid winds OF the desert and con-
verting them into the balmy airs which
nourished the vines and the olives into
a fulness and fragrance unknown in
any part of the country, but also add
cd to the food supply of the land such
immense quantities of fish that the
royal prerogative of the right of pisca-
~ at the great weir was valued at
$3.50 900 annually. This lake was
said to be 450 miles round, and to be
navigated by a fleet of vessels, and the
whole circumference was the scene of
great national industry and prosperity.