The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-02-24

than now, and IN ancient days pro
dueed considerable gold and other met
ans blt now II ships little but dates
wool and coffee, and even these are
gradually falling off Mocha coffee is
produced at the extreme end OF the
arabian peninsula. in province called
Yemen, and derives its name from the
llttie, port 1t Is shipped from. But the
orchards have been injured by insects
and blight, ana the trees have not been
renewed. This Is accounted for by bad
government AS everywhere else I'm
me dominions of the sultan OF Turkey.
for Arabia Is nominally part Of th,.
ottoman empire. the officials receive
no salaries. and live of blackmail
Hence. whenever "A citizen gets little
ahead. when he shows signs OF pros
T3fity. iie Immediately becomes an
the tax gatherer and by every other
representative of the government
Thrre is no incentive for the coffee
EroW"rs to extend their orchards ur
|" Increase their product.
'in' docs not realize. until he comes
/ ihr" I" face with the fact. that Arabia
!. nearly half as large as the United
states IT'S nren Is almost rs greut as
mat OF India. and is nearly equal To
' l,'''' "i our States east OF the Missis-
known. becnus" there has never been
census. but il is supposed TO he be-
tween seven ana twelve millions. The
distance from north to south Is more
man = thousand miles. and from east
to Vest IL varies from 500 TO 500 Yet
III all this enormous territory the e is
no centralized authority. The interior
Is Goverened by petty shciks, each
beng absolute over the members OF
his own tribe. Along Il coast line of
nearly $500 miles are only six ports
whore the sultan Of Turkey maintains
ItShn governors and Eurrisons to pro-
trct the collectors of customs. who are
required to pay him certain amount
or tribute every yenr. ana they wiring
II out of the people any way they cun
The relationship between the gov
rrnm"nt at Constantinople and the
'."''"uns OF Arabia is very slender.
ana Is due solely to the cohesive power
OF IN" Moilammedan religion. There is
no law in Arabia but the Koran; there
are II" courts but the priests there are
II" mails. no postoffices, no postage
S'h'npS. anu person who wants to
communicate with n distant fried must
S''iu nus letter by II messenger, which
Is expensive. or by a caravan, which Is
IN" common way. There is no tele-
Srhph line. no newspaper. no railroad
ana. strange to say. not river in oil
| that vast area except Il few shallow.
ROCKY beds. which during the spring
bring down water from the melting
| snow on the mountain tops TO the sea,
but FOR nine months In the year nre
as dry M crematory
The captain tells me that they pro-
'iuce curious phenomenon. The coast
of the Red sea is lined with coral
/ banks. built by those myst erious and
wonderful little masons who, like some
| men that ] know OF. hate fresh water.
and Wherever the spring floods fall into
the sea there is always n wide break
in the coral reef.
| The mountains Of Arabia reach an
altitude of 10000 feet. and In spots
where borings have been made the sand
Is more than 600 feet deep. It Is the
prevailing Impression that Arabia is q
vast eXpnnse OF desert, hct Inat is a
mistake. There are wide strips Of bar
rem sand. which are irreclairnable for
cultivation only because they cannot
be renched by water. but twu-thirds OF
, ne country is capable of cultivation.
above the sea. might produce cotton.
sugar and other semi-tropical staples
In unlimited quantities. Although
there are no streams plenty Of water
can be had for irrigation purposes by
digging 20 or 80 feet, and the introduc-
ton of windmills would simplify the
pumping problem. On the coast It is
Intensely hot, and the humidity Of the
atmosphere during the summer season
| makes life almost unendurabie. but in
the interior, upon the table lands along
the mountain slopes and In the valleys
the mercury seldom rises above SIS de-
| Erees. even in midsummer. While
the direct rays Of the sun nre intense
! II liz cool in the shade. and ut night the
mercury often falls below so.
| More than two-thirds OF the populn-
ton are Bedouin nomads. without per-
manent places of abode. who live in
tents made nf camel's hair, Just like
the pntriarchs Of old. They have enor-
nous fiocks Of sheep and goats and
herds Of cattle and camels. The follow
the grass and move. from place TO olface
with all their possessions There are.
however, several prosperous cities OF
considerable population ana commerce.
Trade Is conducted by camel caravans
which cross the desert regularly, and
transport enormous quantities Of dates
WOOL and other merchandise.
William e. Curtis.