The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-11-10
UP by the rivers and lakes to which
/ have referred, 4
Up tho Nile BY railway.


UP tho Nile BY Railway.
I should like to take you with me
over this first great section OF the
Cape to Cairo Railway. we shall need
four days to go from the Mediterran-
can to the junction OF the White AMI
Blue Niles. where now am. but the
trip will be comfortable. and theYe
are great sights ali the way. We start
at Alexandria, the chief seaport OF
the Nile valley. and. In three hours
our express train carries us across
through the delta to Cairo. Both Alex
andria and Cairo have good railroad
depots. The first city contains more
than 100000 people, and the second
more than 100000, so that there IL
rapid and frequent train service be-
tween them.
We take the express. and as we go
first-class, we must pay 8 cents q
mile. The second-class fare IL only
half as much as the first. and the third
rs still cheaper. Every train has first.
second and third-class cars. Those Of
the first are divided up into compart-
ments and are pntronized by tourists
and officials. The second-class cars
are much like those OF our American
trains, having an aisle through the
centre; they are used by merchants.
lidNcleEb huu WeII.IO.UU
natives. The third-class cars are
cheaply gotten up and their seats are
wood benches; they are always filled
with the common Egyptians. and for
eigners seldom travel in them. Our
tickets are little blue cards with tho
price printed upon them In English and
Arabic. We have to show them to
the guard as we enter the train. and
they are not examined again until
they are taken up at the gates at the
depot as we go out
We have some trouble with our
baggage. for. like the ordinary Amer
ican. we are loaded with trunks. Only
fifty-f1vc pounds can be checked with
out extra charge. and my trunks often
cost me more than my fare. We no
tice that the English and Egyptian
passengers put the most OF their be-
iongtngs into bundler and bags. which
they are allowed to bring into tho cars
with them. Many single passenger
Ia carrying four or Ave valises. each
holding as much as q small steamer
trunk, and the compartments are half
filled with such luggage. Every first
class car has guard or porter who
helps rg Off and on. and there are
always fellahs ut the depot ready to
carry our stun for cents per piece.
How the Mails Are Guarded.
Most OF the Egyptian trains have a
mail car next to .he engine. an ex-
press car back of that and also cars
for animals. Our train carries one,
in which are two blanketed horses.
with Syrian grooms to take care of
| them. They probably belong to some
rich nabob OF Cairo. and are going
south By express.
The posta. cars are carefully watch
ed. The bags OF mail are carried to
them on red trucks made for the pur.
pose. The trucks are pushed by the
Arabs. and mail is handled by them;
but dark-faced soldier, with rifle
and sword marches along with the
mail and watches the bags taken in
and out When truck i. loaded the
soldier goes with It to the post-office
wagons. There is always a guard on
such Nile steamers a. carry mail. and
the letters are never left without
some armed official to watch over
| them.
Government Railroads Which Pay.
Before We go on with our trip. let