Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-01

ca come Europe at Gibraltar, in Spain
and at Malta, which l presume is put
down as belonging to Europe, though
it is an island in the Mediterranean;
then Africa. first in Morocco. after that
in Egypt, and now Asia. For Alden is
in Arabia, and Arabia is Asia.
Arabia is part of the Turkish en-
pire. There are few small sultanates
in the southern part of the country,
over which Great Britain exercises
quasi protectOrate of some kind, but
the great majority of the people are
Mohammedans and the governmental
allegiance is toward the sultan at Con-
stantinople, just as is their religious
allegiance. with him as the head of the
church. Great Britain owns and ex-
ercises absolute control over this par
ticular small piece which is so valuable
from the standpoint of sea strategy.
About 5000 troops are kept here, the
usual term Of service for the troops
from England being but one year. The
present lot has been kept here longer
because of the necessities incident to
the South African war. which have
prevented changes, but tropical service
is not very desirable for Europeans un-
der the most favorable circumstances.
and the circumstances here are far
from favorable. There are detach-
ments of the Royal Artillery and the
Royal Engineers here, of course; and
then there is both Indian infantry and
the Royal West Kent regiment, the
Queens own"
There is very little to interest one
here except the people. Yesterday, our
first day, / gave over to a ride to Alden
proper or Crater" as it is also called.
taking the name from the fact that it's
location is evidently the crater Of an
extinct volcano The drive approxi-
mates miles. Part of the distance is
along the sea shore, all Of it is through
a country whose only product is sand.
The road must have been built by the
British, it is so very excellent. Past
the stores and the two hotels, which
give dignity to Steamer Point, outpost
coal barges being loaded by half-naked
Arabs, past several small houses built
in row and numbered, and after these
a large Arabic cemetery on the right,
we came to two high mountains with
the road running between them at an
clcNdllol VI pei isiPc u 1890
There is a big, arched stone gateway
I'D there with sentries to guard it.
Coming in around the base of the
mountains from a direction opposite to
our own there is the road which leads
from the heart of Arabia. and here
beheld a novel sight. 1t was a caravan
of 400 camels which l was told had
come 80 miles. These camels are con-
fhnCa I in
Egypt, at least they so impress me.
They are.a scurvy lot in looks and are,
I am told, quite savage at times. When
1 made inquiry concerning the posi-
bility of a camel ride. 1 was advised
against it both for reasons sanitary ana
from the standpoint of personal safety.
"Camels very bad" said one OF my
Arab informants. Then he told me a
pleasant little tale of camel which,
only few days before, coming upon a
man sleeping, gently cracked the neck
of the sleeper with his great teeth and
drank the blood of his victim. l u.s.
tened and decided that the camel ride
had at the Pyramids would be enough
for this trip. The brown-skinned, haif-
naked Arabs who rode the camelS OF
this caravan seemed contented and
happy with their lot, however. and II
they were afraid of their animals, they
did not show it.
Through the gates on their way to
the old town they passed. Our car
rage followed for awhile, then the
jehu being paid for the trip and not by
the hour, whipped up and we left the
camels behind. Below us lay a city
which we were told contains about 3d.
900 people. AS we drove through the
narrow streets our carriage was sur
rounded by horde of black boys beg
|ging backshish. We had been accom-
panied most Of the way from our
starting place by four or five curly
headed, black youths. all but two OF
whom we had been able to outrun.
These two stayed with US. The spe-
cialty of the crew of them was to sing
daisy Bell in very bad. broken Eng
gish-or perhaps the title is "A Bicycle