The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1896-05-08
THE NILE FLOOD.
Interesting Ceremony of the "cutt'ns OF
the khalig."


From the time so far back that ms
tory l. lost In myth. the River Me mas
enrich he, the land. therefore the annual
Nile fiood is the most important hap
pening in Egypt.
The ancient Nilometer. at the sonth
end OF the island Of Eoda- just above
Cairo. is one Of the most interesting
sights Of the place. The water enters
from the river by a culvert int" a wen
j. feet square. with graduated stone
v,;llar in the center. On each side or
the well is a recess six feet wide anu
three feet deep. surmounted by pnmt-
"a arcb over which is carved in relief
a Cutie inscription. and similar IN
scription is carried all around me "ei.'
consisting of verses OF the Koran
staircase yocs down the well. from the
steps of which the initiated may reac
,he height az the water on the pillar;
but they are few in number. and the
hereditary sheikh of the Nilometrr.
who's. dutv Il is TO keep the record, -
person OF some importance
TIE Nilorneter dates from \. ID. SCI
and IN the archives of Cairo may ~,
found the daily record for 1000 years.
After the river has begun TO rise It's
heipht is daily chanted through the
cairo streets until il reaches ~ cubit'
on III. raure. At this point the khaiia
81 Nasri. tue old canal that How.
through the heart of Cairo, Is opeheo
Up 10 this point il Is dry
There is no more interesting cere
monv in Egypt than the annual e"e
ting Of the khaIig," as the opening Ger
emory is called. IL takes place Dc
tween August ; and August -.
pavs before preparations are peini
made for the festival. Tents. with ~
Vulnerable lamps. are placed along 'h
wall an the one side. Frames Tor
manner of fireworks are erected on IN
sand-bank on the other side. All IN
na,ables are there. in full uniform
n caaonicals. The khediye himself.
his representative. the sheikh ul is'ani-
The highest dirnitlry OF the M"hai
medan faith--all the learned scrIp
81 the great university Of the Azha
the cabinet ministers and under seer
taries. the general of the army and 2
staff. the iudges and the financiers-
Tb,. Fyvptian troops are turned OF
..l,,.s arr fired. and about eiE
.,,~.l -, the warm summer night, I
glasses all assemble under the gay
lighted tents. the masses crowd ar"n
che frames for the fireworks. inc SUI
= lined with harem carriages iuii
elossIy-veiled fgures. though II
,,.h that they can see from tn
broughams-
ont in the river. just cpposi'e
canals mouth. is moored an o'o -"
~b;ch has been towed up from bn
during the eiav. and is an moiein OF
,;,nr when the grea, republic OF %
-. a, envoy TO witness the C
,ronv. This boat is full OF lamps
fireworks. too
A. the nigh, deepcns the eNci'em
increases. The popu,ace on inc oir
,,a ~. opposite banks are shout
ceiling and dancing wildly around
xravxorlss. On the other side are
- uniforms and lighted tents. 4
,,h;ch We can look over the
down on the dark water. -
xou see brown figures plunt
waist deep. and digging with
hoes the cmbankment tha' p''
80. canals mouth Long before
night the fireworks have gone
and LETT the splendid stars 70 y
selves: the grandces have all gor
he'd. but the people keep up the reN
and In the. morning. by halt
o'clock. everyone has come back.
Then In, little Of the bank = ie'
go. and a few more strokes OF In
hoes will do il. and the brown skim
,be brown water reflect the bright
l:rht From above. Then the She'
Islam solcmnly thanks Aiiah. IN
powerful. the all-merciful. ne mn
Ills blessing on the GOOD. and a'
nal. the bank is cut. the waters ~
and with them crowd Of SWIM
bag of silver piastres y se1'
among them. and the ceremony
an end.-ciolden Days.
uis Nightmare.
p,,lltrv4ton. \omoss-l lad Al