Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-07-07
QUEER SIGHTS IN EGYPT.
The Spectacle Tint Grccts the Eye mt
the ASsunn Dam.

hS SpectBfiS ErCCtS the Eye mt
the ASSunn Dam.
"Boats are making fast along the riv-
or bank. some coming down the Nile
from kliaituin, some coming M the
Nile from Cairo" writes Jerome Hart
In description OF the queer sights at
The great Assuan dam in Egypt "1'hc
quay along the river is semi European.
or rather Lcvantinc, its buildings,
with arcaled fronts. like those one
secs in Algicrs and other Mctlitcr-
rancan cities. Tourists In the latest
tourist fashion pass along this boue-
ward, on foot, OH horseback. OIL donkey
back and in carriages Every combina-
ton Of costume may he seen. Here
comes an old man "a Europcam i'm Il
high sill; hat and white kid gloves.
l'clim him Sklps Il I:iSlinrccn boy of
fifteen, his shiny black skin exposed
to the cool breeze. his curly hair lus-
trois with grease. Next comes an
American girl in Il hin muslin gown, Il
chip straw hat. mounted on n donkey.
Behind her rifles an elderly Egyptian
official. sour faced and fcZZcd all
crouchcd up and apparently shivcring.
on his donkey. With II very heavy cloak
gathered about his shoulders.
Next comes Il squad of Sutlnncsc
soldiers in khaki uniforms and khaki
coiorcd fczcs, with riding brooches and
puttccs on their powerful but lanky
legs. They carry little 'swngger
switches, like those Of Tommy At
liins. and are modelled on him IN other
respects. but have faces so hidcously
ugly and so Incredibly black that they
make you fairly stare Behind them
again is another native group. this
time of Itish:rccns. They differ both
from the Egyptian Arabs and the Su-
dancsc. There is nothing Of the Ethio-
plan about their faces except their
skins. for they have the same rich.
glossy, stove polish black flat the Su-
danrsc have. In other respects they are
utterly dissimilar, for they have
straight noses, fine features, oval faces,
kind eyes and are often very hand
some, except for their color. They
usually wear but one garment, n dirty
cotton shirt.
"IIerc comes Mohammcdan lady,
richly attlrcd. with immaculate gloves
and neat Greek boots. She wears n
very thin veil, has large black eyes and
from her figure and her eyes Is appnr-
emily young and beautiful a nurse ne
companies her with Il baby, ana they
step into Il smart carriage behind IL
span of beautiful Arabian horses. Al
scOwlng black servant is seated OH the
box beside the cOachnan. We see an
other MolInmmcdan woman in the
same picture also in black But hers
Is not Il handsome gown; 1t Is patched,
torn, dirty; it is in Topped and winded
rnEgrdncSs; ii Is apparently the wear
er's only garment. Above it her skinny
arms stick out. holding her baby. Re.
low 1t her Shrlinli shanlls and bare feet
protru,lc. She is extending n mcndl-
cant hand to The woman In the car
ragc.
up the street comes Il camel caravan
laden with kegs. AT the command OF
the driver the camcls knccl down. The
drivers unlash the kegs, which roll all
over the road until 1T last they arc
stacked up on end. Curious to sec
what the kegs contain. for thcOrctical-
~ the Mohammchans drink no liquors,
we approach. y trinity uniformed ma
tive policeman politely warns us off.
When | cntlcavor Ia ascertain the rra.
son the only English word he can dig
ilp is magazine From this | gather
that they are powder kegs, anil | re-
spcct his warming. Gcncrnlly speaking
it is wise To obey the orders of srntrics
ana police officers in strange land.
perhaps even nj home"