Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-01-11

Arabs in their picturesque attire, the repast being followed by an informal dance or by parlor games, amongst which musical chairs, in which every body joins with zest, is the Sirdars favorite.
 Amongst the community at large. picnics are perhaps the most usual form of amusement, and one in which good deal of variety can be obtained. Water-picnics are the chief favorites. start being made early in the morn- ing on one of the Nile steam-launches, the destination being some village or ruined temple not too far distant. The scenery is in parts exceedingly picturesque, owing its beauty to the striking coloring patches of vividly green herbage, alternating with strips of golden yellow sand, and over all the glorious azure of the cloudless sky, whilst string of camels or a family of crocodiles basking in the sun add a finishing touch to the pie ture. When passing by village, the natives eagerly flock to the banks to see the English people. to whom they will freely offer handfuls of luscious dates or bowls of frothing goats milk, the dark faces sometimes strikingly handsome, alive with ami nation and interest.
 Moonlight picnics, too, are extreme ly popular, enhanced by the joys of scampering over the desert on the back of sturdy donkey, the almost inevitable means of locomotion, walk ing being practically an impossibility. The molten is swift, not unpleasant, albeit somewhat jerky. the donkey being continually stimulated to fresh efforts by the shrill cries of the Sou danese boys who run alongside. The setting forth of a donkey cavalcade for a picnic is usually attended by little excitement, accompanied by much gesticulation and vociferation on the part of the donkey boys. A runaway has to be captured and ig- nominiously brought back and some obstinate asinine spirits have to be coerced, but eventually all is ready, and the procession makes its way to some rendezvous where the servants. sent on ahead. have prepared a meal in readiness for their masters arrival.
 As regards home life in Khartoum, for those whose duties lie in the Sou dan, there are. of course, manifold difficulties and discomforts to be sur mounted; yet, for at least six months in the year life may be at least endur. able. not to say pleasant. Houses are large and fairly well-built. with good. sized lofty rooms and sleeping out on the flat roofs is habit frequently if not usually indulged in. in spite of such minor drawbacks as the possibil. ity of the sudden descent of a swarm of locusts.
 Servants are obtainable in the shape of Soudanese men. black as sloes, who are usually attired in spot. less white garments with colored sashes. They are absolutely honest and wonderfully economical. making excellent cooks. who will contrive to set forth quite an astonishing variety of dishes manufactured from the slightest materials. They are curious ly child-like in intellect and exceeding. ly quarrelsome amongst themselves, getting carried away to such an ex. tent by anger over some tritiing detail that they will fling half a dozen of ones most cherished dinner-plates at one another. The crash brings the mistress upon the scene. and her anger enectually cools the choler of the servants. which is succeeded by abject penitence and promises of good behavior in the future.