The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-04-27
ON THE SHORES OF ARABIA
CORRESPONDENT WRITES OF FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE COUNTRY.

Everything Asiatic--A Desolate Country Its People-Arrival in London-Soenes in the Great Metropolis-Great Preparation for Queens Jubilee. To the Editor of the Journal and Courier:
 After leaving Columbo and the De troit, with the Stars and Stripes be- hind, we had a very smooth passage of seven days on the Arabian Sea to Alden, at the beginning of the Red Sea, We arrived tl.ere at daylight. The ship lay about mile from shore. There were several other large steamers ly- ing there, as well as two men 'of-War, but not Yankees so did not try to go or board. Along with a number or other passengers I went ashore ani took breakfast in Arabia. The break fast won't stand bragging of, although il cost us two English shillings each Thereaare a number of hotels in semi circle facing the sea; we went to the Hotel de Europe. It is quite a plain looking building of undressed stone, with the universal stone balcony. The
  room were of undressed stone, painted blue, and quite a contrast to our New Haven house. Of course everything was Asiatic. Outside of the hotel were camels continually passing; also plenty of donkeys and goats and one-horse carriages, the native drivers of which were continually shouting to us to hire Them. We hired one to take us to Nal N l. n1N f,A11f ,1 from Alden. The price was only six shillings to go and return, so it was not extravagant. The scenes on the road were exceedingly interesting-the long strings of camels heavily loaded, the dusky Arabs with their flowing robes, both men and women, and lots of chil- dren, beggars and cripples. The coun- try is a desolate looking place, consist ing mostly of high rocks, with not blade of anything green upon them. The houses are mostly built or un- dressed stone, with thick prison-like walls, flat roofs and very small or no windows We could see inside of a great many, and they looked anything but comfortable, as we call comfort Where were a number of streets with houses of this description in them at Mdlldu. Iue WOlilell, Sll e1liu goats were crouched about outside in front of g. number of the houses. Un- der the verandas we saw the bed steads on which they sleep-square Frames with cane bottoms no mattress es or bed clothes. We saw some sleep 1ng on them.
 It is dreadfully dry and dusty here. One native told us that there had been
 
 said six months. The town is at the foot of high rocks, and in between the rocks are twelve reservoirs which will hold millions of gallons of water. They must have cost lot of money, as they are solidly built of dressed, stone, but there was not one drop of water in them. My roommate was here four years ago, and he says they were near ly full then. In the reservoirs there are immense deep wells to preserve the wa ter for emergencies like these. Some of the wells are springs. There were four or six Arabs at each we'll continually drawing water and running it into tanks for the use of the inhabitants. There are a few sickly-looking trees that are just kept alive by being water ed, but there is not square foot of grass 10 De SeeT- SAW u nuIIFDef Ol small openings in the rocks, one above the other. They told me the natives slept in them. Well, I think it would be quite as comfortable as their houses. We went through their market to buy some oranges. We inquired the price at one stall-one shilling and sixpence per dozen. We told him we would take two dozen. He wanted four shillings, and we refused to take them. We went to another stall and they asked one shilling only for oranges that were just ns good. We took three dozen of him.
 At noon 1t got terribly hot, so went back to the ship. We had to wait for the mail steamer to get in from Bonn bay. She brought us about fifty pas sengers with their luggage and the Bombay mail.
 We got started at 9 p. m. for Suez via the Red Sea. Found it very interest. Ing, as every now and then we had a good view of the shores of Egypt. The bishop on board pointed out where il as supposed Pharaoh and his host were drowned.
 The last evening before reaching Suez we had @ lovely sight, the sun setting behind the mountains of Egypt.
 We arrived off Suez early in the morning and lay there until il a. m before entering the canal. There were several steamers lying there.
 Suez seems to be quite a place, but we were not allowed to go ashore.
 T. HURLE.