Connecticut western news., 1910-09-22
THROUGH THE SUEz
 CANAL TO THE GULF
And Thence to Alden, Arabia, Journeyed Sharon Boy,
 Who Describes the Countries Visited.
By GEORGE D. WILBUR (U. s. s. New York.)


 could be found sleeping on the deck or any place they could feel faint breeze.
 When about the center of the sea a sand storm came on us the air was full of fine sand all the way. These are sim liar to fogs, except one being water and the other dust, and at times the air gets SO full of dust that navigation is danger. ous needless to say we were glad to get to our anchorage in the inner harbor of Alden.
 The first object which caught our eye, was the peak of Jabal, (mounD Shun Shun, the highest point of the rocky mass rising 1760 feet above the sea. The summit is crowned with flag staff, and is used as 8 signal station for the ship ing. The entrance to the harbor is about 316 miles wide. On the left side going in, is nothing but the flat Arabian desert, while on the right rises hills and projections, covered with barracks and residences. We then came to very pretty bay. facing which, is the semicir- eular row of buildings forming the front age of the native town known as the Crescent. |. r...a #
 Alden the Desolats
 From our ship, Alden has a very deso- late appearance, but still we were anxi- ous to get ashore, just to say we had been in Arabia. On my first trip ashore I had no sooner got out of the boat than there were the guides again. fear we shall never get out of the regions infested by those over polite beggars, until we hit the United States again. The guide un- derstood my rather tart little speech on whether or no he should accompany me, So my companion and self journeyed on, stopping now and then to purchase few curios. We were now in the Cres- cent, semi circular row of good strong houses, forming the frontage of the na- tive town of Tawihe, and facing the bay or inner harbour. An open space inter venes, between the houses and the sea, in the centre of which is nice bronze statue of Queen Victoria.
 The town of Tawihe is situated behind the Crescent. The houses are nearly all single storied, of stone or plaster, the streets are quite wide and very dirty. Leaving the Crescent we went for drive to the crater. The road skirts along the sea, and passes a succession of coal yards till it reaches strongly forti- fled spur, known as Hsdjuff Pass, where are situated many wharves and factories. Beyond the pass the road descsnds to the Maala Plain, wide and level stretch of ground between Mt. Shun Shun and ths harbor, across which it extends for about two miles to the village of Maala. This is town of about 2000 inhabitants. and Is the center of of the native shipping trade, and the port for all buggalows.
 The Tomb of Abel
 As we continued on past Maala, we passed the Masonic lodge and an old Jewish cemetery, and soon began to ascend the steep zig-zig road leading up to the main pass a deep narrow cut in the circle of the crater. to which it gives admission. This pass up to 1895 was used as a ,fortification. High up on the wall of rock above the pass, may be seen a natural excavation, which Arab tradi- tion says is the tomb of Abel. The de- cent to the crater begins immediatly in- side the pass, and for short distance is very steep. Emerging from these walls of rock the town of Alden bursts into view, and presents 8 very picturesque appearance at this distance. The floor of the crater, a sandy level plain slightly elevated above the sea. has an area of about five square miles, of which about half of this is covered by the town of Alden, with a population of 17,500 in. habitants.
 Passing through the town we came to the water banks. system of reservoirs built for the purpose of catching enough water during the rainy season to supply the needs of the people. There are eight of these tanks, capable of holding 5000. 900 gallons of water. It is almost inn possible to give such & description of these extraordinary walled excavations as would enable one who has not seen them to thoroughly understand them, but will do the best can. Trees have lately been planted in their vicinity, and flower gardens laid out, making one of the few green spots in the settlement.
 Peculiar Water Storage
 he tanks are situated within amphi- theatre of hills forming the crater, on the inner slope of the highest part. On the outer slopes the rain rushes precipi- tiously to the sea, down a number of low narrow ravenes unconnected with each other. The inner slopes are quite as steep as the outer, but instead of sweeping down to sea level, stop half way, in a large plateau, within the crater. This plateau is intersected by numerous ravines converging into one