The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-02-04
TIE CANAL OF JOSEPH.
AZ Ussful ~ Ever at the Fad of Fsa,
Thousand Years.

Thousand Years
How many of the engineering works
OF the nineteenth century will there be
IL existence in the year 5000? Very
few. We fear, and still l>ss those that
Will continue in the far-off ages "a
serve useful purpose. Yet there IN at
least one great undertaking conceived
and executed by an en- gineer which dur
ing the space of 1000 years has never
ceased its Office. on which the life OF a
fertile province absolutely depends to-
day. We refer 20 the Bahr Joussuf-
the canal of Joeeph-built according
10 tradition. by the SON OF Jacob. and
which constitutes not the least of the
many blessings ho conferred on Egypt
during the years of his prosperous rule.
This canal took its rise from the Nil<
ct Asiut. and ran almost parallel with
IL for nearly ESQ miles, creeping along
under the western cliffs of the Nils
valley, with many bend. and winding
until at length it gained an eminence,
as compared with the river bed. which
enabled 10 20 turn westward through a
narrow pass and enter district which
was otherwise shut of from the fertile.
ing foods on which all vegetation in
Egypt depends. The northern end
stood II feet above low Nile, while a
the southern end IL WIS at an equal ele-
Walton from the river. Through ths
cut ran perennial str-am. which va.
tered q province named the Fayoupa
endowing IL with fertility and support.
ing large population. In IN. tinse Of
the annual food a great part of the
canal was under water, and then the
siver's current would rush in a more
direct course into the pass, carrying
with 10 the rich salt which takes the
place OF manure and keeps the sod in
state OF constant prodnctiveness.
All this, with the exception of the
traditions that Joseph built IL, can he
verified to-day. and 10 IL not mere sup
position or r-Imor. Until eight years
ago II was firmly believed that the do
s'gn has always been limited to an ir,
scheme. larger. 10 doubt. than
that now IN operation, IA shown BY the
traces OF abandoned canals end hy tia
slow aggregation of waste water which
had accumulated in the Birket Ell ooerun,
but still essentially the sarne In chsrac.
ter. Many accounts have been writtea
by Greek and Roman historians. such "a
Strabo, Mutianus and Pliny,
md repeated in monkish legends o,
portrayed in the maps OF the middle
ages. which agreed with the folklore of
the district. These tales explained that
tho canal Ding by the ancient Isra<lites
served to carry the surplus waters OF
he Nile into an extensive Lake fyina
south of the Payoum. AID - large that
i not only modified the climate. terap-r.
ng the arid winds of the desert and con.
serting them into the balrny airs which
lourished the vines and the oIiv-s into
fullness and fragrance unknown in
my par; Of the country. but alec added
o the food supply OF the land such I'm.
nen>e quantities OF fish that the royal
'rerogative OF the right Of pisoary a.
he great weir vas valued az $3.50. 600
nnnaliy. This lake was said =, be 4so
niles round. and 30 be nsvigztesi by a
eet Of vesEels. ard the whole cirr-7rn-
ercoce was the scene OF frdussry and
rosPerity.-Engineering.