New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-21
Nesr Books for Travellers an Egypt
and an Tnris.

Reference TO Its History Physical GeogTaghy
nell With mans and Illustrations. Svo, pp.
XIV. ass T. p ButtoR s. Co,
INSCRIPTIONS OF THE NILE MONUMENTS.
eha aSi Of Pss Win 'oI 2o @ and
map. i2mo pp. AK, $50. c. r. Putnams Sons
ruHis KAIRouAN AND cARTHAGE Described ed
day, Page a Co
This untrayeled laymsn who pauses momen-
tariiy the thought Of oasis in the desert
conceives of ii a single spot, narrowly crcum-
scribed an almost infnitesimaJ episode in a
boundiess sea OF sand. He could find good war
rant for this view Of the matter. but II is only
limited view. The oasis is also in in
stances affair of considerable area. a de-
preston in the desert large enough to sup
port number OF villages, whose agricultural
resources rest upon wells bored at many different
points. II is oasis Of this character. the
oasis OF Kharga in the Lbyan Desert. which
Mr.. Beadnell describes in q sometimes drily
scientific but nevertheless very readable book.
This place is OF great antiquity. Ptolemaic and
Roman remains indicate that & inhabited
snany centuries ago and there are wells be-
meath it's floor. believed In have flowed then.
which flowing still How is this fertility 10
ne accounted for? Far down below the level Of
1kharga there vast beds of porous sandstone
and in these stored the accumulated water
Of hundreds and thousands Of years. Partly
this has percolated in from the Nile and partly
~ is OF meteoric origin having originally fallen
rain.
The quantity of water thus buried is stupen-
sious. and enough Of il is brought to the surface
TO keep a numerous population going. Two
years ago. when the last census was taken.
Kharga had g. 4S inhabitants The wells, which
number something than two hundred. yield
q total discharge Of l150O.OoO gallons day.
MFR Beadnell notes that there is close connec-
aion between population and water supply, and
thus indicates the dependence Of the one upon
the other:
No water is intentionally allowed 60
waste Ssr drop een and Wheat 10 wcS form the
staple food supplies of The inhabitants, Cur on
intercourse with the outside world, except for
dispose OF their surplus date crop 10 the Bedawin
traders. who cross The desert with droves Of
oamels from the Nile Valley. The dates are usu,
ally paid for in cash. ready money being required
IN ORDER 10 meet me slIiua. IH & ~ ~
st1Iffs imported consist of such commodities
regarded as Injuries even by the better classes
il is evident Therefore that the inhabitants rely
able 10 raise by their own toll and industry.
owing there being rainfall the acreage OF
aand which he put under crops depends alb
solutely on the amount of water available for
has know. huc1uated 10 considerable extent
could figures be obtained giving the number of
inhabitants and the volume OF the water supply
years, a remarkably constant would be OBJ
kerv9ble between the two.
The jewellers in the oasis lead al the best
ourdensome existence The government levies
taxes all their wells and on every Of the
sixty-odd thousand adult palm trees in the re-
sion. taking much $1,000 per annum out of
81 by this process. Then. too. the crops only
10 be protected by constant warfare with the
shifting sand. The sand dunes, or ''barchans." as
they are called are built up by the wind slowly
but impiacably 10 amazing height, and TO stay
their march requires incessant vigilance. The
life OF the oasis people makes, indeed, vivid
appeal 10 the imagination sustained as 1t is only
by heroic effort. il is touching TO reflect the
patience and unconscious heroism OF mankind
thus circumstanced. Mr. Beadnell is reologst
and in giving the fruits Of his ten twelve
years labor as surveyor explorer. borer OF wells
and retainer Of land in the desert he not I'M
naturally abounds. as have said. in scientific
details. Nevertheless. ne has a keen apprecia-
uon of the human side Of the subject and the
general reader, quite much the specialist.
will value his book.
An uncommonly useful service has been per
formed by the author OF inscriptions Of the Nile
Monuments" Mr.. Pier is a scholar who knows
how to put his learning practical purpose. and
upon a hundred dark spots among the relics Of
Egyptian antiquity he throws just the light that
Is needed by the casual wayfarer. Repeatedly he
has observed the latter trying TO find just what
particular inscription meant. lie comes
20 the rescue with book lightly traversing the
salient ruins, objects and on. and giving trans
lstions OF the inscriptions thereon which pro-
digiously increase the living interest OF those
astonishing memorials. He invests a statue or
a wall with the charm Of personality. bringing
back 20 survivals otherwise cold and mute Pc
cuarly poignant vitality.
We witness here. in a sense, the awakening Of
men who sank into their last sleep thousands Of
years ago. We 10 hear their voices tell
ing us what they contributed 20 the building OF
the pyramids and temples. how they bore them
selves in peace and war. what virtues and other
gifts they laid the feet OF the gods. In a gen.
eral way the tourist In Egypt is Of these
revelations. which have been drawn upon by in
Vulnerable writers. But this book OF Mr.. Piers
is the first 10 provide the traveller with a key
conveniently unlocking the secret Of each monu-
ment he contronts II. Such aid not only sat
isnes immediate curiosity. but does much 10
foster sense OF the broad color and movement
Of ancient Egyptian life. We must give one
specimen OF the inscriptions put into English by
Mr. Pier a kings reply TO a letter craven upon
a tomb dating about 2570 b. c:
Thou hast said in this thy document that thou
arr bringing down pgmy of the Dsnce?l for
the divine King. from the Land OF Spirits. Like
Ba-ur-dydy, brought from Somaliland in the DAYS
Of Asesn Thou hast Informed my Majesty that
who visited Jam in former days; His Majesty has
lnaae thy rewards nanfoic and excellent for the
exclaim when they hear what my Majesty has done
Royal Acquaintance Hsrkhuf. after he returned
from lam" Come thou by boat 10 the Palace and
brought from Spirit Landi alive and in health in
order thai he may dance the Kings dance" for