The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-29

$ Worn Near the Holy City
 was fortunate in visiting Egypt at a season of the year when the entire rural populaee was engaged in garner ing the crops, for this enabled me to see Egyptian life al fresco.
 Where the wheat was not quite ready to be gathered boys stood all day long with sling shots hurled balls of dry mud over the fields. These balls scat tered in their flight and frightened away the birds that were essaying to eat the grain. Few of the individual fields Were over half acre in size and this Is one reason why the farmer of that land does not employ agricultural machinery In gathering his harvest; 1t would not pay him to do so, but the chief reason is that the farmer does not cut his wheat. he pulls it up by the roots. Many of the workers had come miles to harvest and brought their donkeys and goats with them. The donkies were brought for the owners 10 ride on and the sheep were there be- cause there was no one left at home to watch them as they grazed. In order that the donkeyS would not stray or eat the grain they were hobbled. the two front feet being tied so close together that the beasts were only able to hop a few steps at a time. The women work in the fields as well as the men and when the sun grows. hot both sexes discard all of their cloth ing.
 All along the river we encountered sakyies which are wells pumped by a camel or an OK. As the space in which the animals move while at work is quite small and they travel in a cir cle. they soon become nauseated, but in order to avert this sickness the own CTS blindfo1d the beasts and thus they go all day long unconscious of the de- ception practieed upon them
 Mass of Filth
 We passed through many villages of various sizes and l stopped to visit some of them. They are a mass of fifth and q experimentation of poverty.
 The houses consist of an aggregation of adobe walls and are absolutely roofless In the interior one always find a dove cote, built in the wall and a flock of goats or sheep and drove of fowls, all consorting with the family. In one corner is a little hole about the size of an or dinary bake oven and here in the winter time sleep the owner and his family. But in the center of every house is queer looking object constructed of con- crete about eight feet high and resem- blings for all the world huge cham pagne glass It Is called the scorpion pillar and here sleeps the owner with his family in the summer. It is ap- preached by a clumsy ladder. which is drawn up after the occupants have en- tered and owing to it's odd shape the scorpions cannot climb the tower pillar The bite of the scorpion Is fatal and the precaution is necessary.
 Among visitors jackal hunting is quite a sport, though I fail to see much sport lao .l.. secrets himself behind a pile of debris or clump of stones and lets loose chicken with several hundred feet of line tied to its leg. The noise of the fowl in en- deavorng to get away from the twine att tracts the jaekal. which is shot down from ambush as soon as it approaches near. l did, however, enjoy bringing down several young leopards, the belts of which l fetched home with me.
 Swarms of Flies
 One cannot but notice the swarm of files which infest the country. It is lmposs- ble to go about without carrying with you and using all the time q fly fan, some of which are quite ornamental. But you be on camel back, walking or boatiig the fly fan is in constant use as long as if is daylight. It is against the religion of the Egyptian to kill these in- otttS anu lhty WI lblO tilt Coiiltlo pl the eyes, especially thQse of children, where they. remain unmolested all day long. I question very seriously if the vision of the natives is not affected by this sacrifice to religion.
 The foreigner in Egypt is absolutely al the mercy of dragoman. This individual is usually quite trustworthy, very com petent and remarkable for his fidelity. He dusts off Nom shoes, provides you camel donkey haFnrdipG and transacts all of your banking busi- ness for you. as +--
 Our road was lined. with fellahins and their beasts was struck with the sa gacty of the baby camels which always keep in the shade of their mother. If the shadow is behind they follow in he rear, if forward, they trot in front of their mother, The donkey colts were striking ly cue not being larger than an ordi- nary lamb and I freduently picked them mp in my arms. The ears of the young donkey are prone to. droop and if not treated will eventually hang down like the ears of q sheep. To prevent this hole is pieeerced in each ear and the two are tied together. usually with piece of ribbon. which causes the little fellow to look as if he were wearing a bon net.
 We passed many Copts who are the
 
 faith bv an elaborate amount of tattoo ing in India ink, the designs being soms religious emblem or character. Many Gs the Egyptian women wear two ear rings in the same ear and they are not de- pendent from the lobe. but hang from the upper part of their auricuar or gans.
 took the train back to. Cairo and vas deliehted with thS comfort of the cars. l They were all provided with colored glass to subdue the glare of the sun, and was able fa shave in my sleeping com l partment. Most of the engineers ire | Greek. the railroaa of"'ials heing afraid | to trust native engine drivers.
 On my way back ! saw most -vnn- | 'erful miraee and fl was almost impossi- | bic to convince me that we were '.oi | rnpning into q river or large body of | water.