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diff --git a/26705-8.txt b/26705-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d0b3927 --- /dev/null +++ b/26705-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1964 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Caravan Route between Egypt and Syria, by +Ludwig Salvator + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Caravan Route between Egypt and Syria + +Author: Ludwig Salvator + +Translator: Ernst von Hesse-Wartegg + +Release Date: September 26, 2008 [EBook #26705] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CARAVAN ROUTE BETWEEN EGYPT AND SYRIA *** + + + + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + +[Illustration: JEBEL EL MAGARA.] + + + + + THE CARAVAN ROUTE + + BETWEEN + + EGYPT AND SYRIA + + TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN + + [Illustration] + + WITH TWENTY-THREE FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE AUTHOR + + London + + CHATTO & WINDUS, PICCADILLY + + 1881 + + _All rights reserved._ + + + + +PREFACE TO THE TRANSLATION. + + +The present work is by His Imperial Highness the Archduke Ludwig +Salvator of Austria, by whom also the accompanying sketches were drawn. + +By his numerous travels and scientific labours, the name of this Prince +has become well known and highly appreciated among the geographers of +all nations; and only a short time ago His Imperial Highness was elected +an honorary member of the Royal Geographical Society, of whom there are +but eight others, in a total list of some 3500 Fellows. + +His works of travel--comprising parts of America, Africa, and the +Mediterranean coasts--have also attracted so much attention, that their +translation into the English language seemed to be justified. + +The list of these works, together with some details regarding the life +of their illustrious author, appeared in the translator's introduction +to the first work published in English;[1] and in referring to it the +translator of the present volume confidently expects a continuation of +the friendly reception accorded to "Levkosìa, the Capital of Cyprus." + + CHEVALIER DE HESSE-WARTEGG. + + GERMAN ATHENÆUM CLUB, + _October 1881_. + +[Footnote 1: Levkosìa, the Capital of Cyprus, with an Introduction by +the Chevalier de Krapf-Liverhoff, Imp. and Roy. Austro-Hung. Ministerial +Councillor, etc. etc. London: Kegan Paul and Co. 1881.] + + + + +PREFACE. + + +Once more I had traced my way to Egypt to pass the winter there. Like +every European who makes a lengthened sojourn in that ancient but +renewed land, I was led to recall the great engineering and other +achievements accomplished within our own time, and also to consider +future projects of development for which the country seems to present so +wide a scope. A great deal has been heard of late on the subject of +improved communication between Egypt and Southern Syria. Proposals for +the construction of a new harbour at Jaffa, for a railway through the +valley of the Jordan, and for harbour works at Beyrout, exercised my +mind in succession; and during my frequent walks in the beautiful +Esbekieh my thoughts were more particularly occupied with the overland +route between Syria and Egypt. Since the wanderings of the Israelites +through the desert, and the flight of the child Jesus, of how many great +events have these countries been the scenes, and what various +recollections are awakened by their names! + +Former travels had rendered me familiar with both Egypt and Syria, as +well as with the different lines of communication between them, +excepting the old caravan route over Wadi el Harish, the ancient Torrens +Egyptii. Bearing in mind the bad harbours and dangerous anchorages of +Southern Palestine, I speculated upon the feasibility of a railway +connection round the coast, and, in view of that object, resolved +personally to examine the ground. + +Many obstacles, however, presented themselves to the execution of my +intention. One of these arose from the circumstance that, since the +opening of the Suez Canal, the greater part of the traffic between Syria +and Egypt is carried on by the short water route _viâ_ Jaffa and Port +Said, in consequence of which the old highway, formerly so frequented by +caravans, travellers, and pilgrims, is now deserted and forgotten. Even +the cattle-dealers now prefer to send their stock by steamer from the +great export harbour of Jaffa to Alexandria, so that only a few +camel-drivers are to be met with on the once favourite route. I +therefore found it more expedient to order a caravan of horses and mules +from Jaffa to meet me in El Kantara, which I fixed upon as my starting +point for the desert. The following pages contain a narrative of the +expedition, which was undertaken in March 1878, as noted down in the +tent on the evening of each day. My investigation convinced me that the +railway communication so often dreamed of is absolutely impracticable, +chiefly on account of the easily movable character of the sands of the +desert. The line would become completely buried beneath them after every +storm of any degree of violence, and could therefore only be kept clear +by constant labour and expense. Of all proposals for the attainment of +the object in question the most promising appeared to me to be the +formation of a good harbour at Beyrout, to which all the trade of Syria +might be directed by means of two railways, one along the rich coast of +Southern Syria, and the other to pass down the valley of the Jordan. +Beyrout offers greater advantages for the purpose than Jaffa, inasmuch +as the harbour works would be easier, and therefore less costly; and the +town itself, besides being far richer, already possesses established +communications with Damascus and the inland trade. + +The accomplishment of this work seems to me so important in view of the +welfare and commercial development of Syria, that I cannot conclude +without expressing a wish that it may be soon undertaken under the +auspices of those Powers in whose interests it may be. + + ZINDIS, NEAR TRIESTE, + _October 1879_. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE + + I. EL KANTARA 1 + + II. TO BIR EL NUS AND KATYA 5 + + III. FROM KATYA TO BIR EL ABD 11 + + IV. FROM BIR EL ABD TO BIR EL MAGARA 18 + + V. FROM BIR EL MAGARA TO EL HARISH 25 + + VI. EL HARISH 30 + + VII. FROM EL HARISH TO SHEIK EL ZVOYED 47 + + VIII. FROM SHEIK EL ZVOYED TO KHANYUNIS 52 + + IX. KHANYUNIS 57 + + X. FROM KHANYUNIS TO GAZA 65 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.[2] + + + 1. JEBEL EL MAGARA _Frontispiece._ + + 2. JEBEL ABOU ASSAB _To face page_ 6 + + 3. EL GUJA " 8 + + 4. RUMMAN " 9 + + 5. KATYA " 10 + + 6. SHEIK EL MZEYEN, IN KATYA " 12 + + 7. LEHOCHOMU-MELLEHA " 18 + + 8. JEBEL EL MAGARA (taken from El Brej) " 22 + + 9. KOUBBA EL MAGARA " 23 + + 10. JEBEL EL HALAL (taken from Ard el Murrah) " 26 + + 11. WADI ABOU-SBEH " 28 + + 12. EL HARISH " 30 + + 13. THE BAZAAR OF EL HARISH " 40 + + 14. EL HARISH (View on the Northern Side) " 42 + + 15. KOUBBA OF NABI GASSER " 44 + + 16. EL HARROUBA " 48 + + 17. MELLEHA OF SHEIK EL ZVOYED " 50 + + 18. OUR CAMP IN SHEIK EL ZVOYED " 52 + + 19. SAGER EL EMIR " 54 + + 20. RAFAH COLUMNS " 55 + + 21. KALA OF KHANYUNIS " 58 + + 22. NEIGHBOURHOOD OF GAZA " 66 + + 23. ENTRANCE TO BAZAAR, GAZA " 68 + +[Footnote 2: All the illustrations were drawn by the author from nature, +reproduced on wood by Frederick Havranek, and engraved by F. Stolarz and +J. Jass of Prague.] + + + + +THE CARAVAN ROUTE + +BETWEEN + +EGYPT AND SYRIA. + + +I. + +EL KANTARA. + + +One of the Suez Canal Company's tugs soon took us down the canal from +Ismailia to El Kantara (the bridge), where we were to meet our caravan. +Just as we were landing we observed the first few horses of the latter +crossing by the ferry which plies between the two sides of the canal. +The boat had to go over three times to get all our animals and luggage, +and we found it no easy work on the other side to strap up all our +things ready for the journey. Matters seldom go altogether smoothly on +the first day of a caravan expedition. At length a start was made, the +mules laden with our tents and luggage going on in front, and ourselves +bringing up the rear. The little hotel of El Kantara, with the few +patches of vegetation surrounding it, was the last sight we had of +civilised life. Following the telegraph posts, which mark the route from +Egypt to Syria, we then entered the rolling desert, and soon began to +enjoy that feeling of freedom which a boundless plain always inspires. +Only life on the sea, with all its wonderful charms, is to be compared +to a journey through the desert. In the midst of its vast and solitary +expanse the traveller feels himself overwhelmed, and his imagination +conjures up strange forms on the far horizon. The desert is to the Arab +what the sea is to the sailor; for both, their proper element has a +permanent and irresistible attraction. Old Abou Nabout, the leader of +our caravan, rode on quietly in front, his eyes gazing steadfastly +across the sandy plain, and dreams of his youth doubtless floated +through his mind as his horse threw up clouds of sand with his hoofs. + +Our first ride soon came to a pause, for instead of encamping at two +hours' distance from El Kantara, as I had ordered, the moukri +(mule-driver) unpacked our tents in a small sandy valley which we +reached in half an hour only. Knowing from experience how necessary it +is to insist upon the execution of orders once issued, especially at +the commencement of a caravan journey, I made the moukri pack up again, +at which he was evidently not best pleased. We then continued our course +until we came to a shallow depression of the sandy ground, where I +directed our tents to be pitched. We travelled in a comparatively +comfortable manner, being furnished with two tents for sleeping, and a +third in which we took our meals. Besides these, we had a smaller tent +for a kitchen. + +Everything was unpacked--our stores, the forage for our animals, and the +water casks. These had to pass a careful inspection by our old leader, +who repaired those which were leaky. The thirsty mules and donkeys were +taken back to El Kantara to drink, and the camels were driven to graze +in the neighbourhood, where were a few tamarisks, _Salsola echinus_, +_Portulaca_, and other plants of the desert. + +Our tents were soon in order, and under their shelter we at last enjoyed +our rest. Before sunset we saw our animals return from El Kantara. +Horses and mules were then re-saddled and fastened together in a +straight line to a long rope. Their shadows, thrown by the moon upon the +sand, were extremely grotesque. We could now count them at our leisure. +There were seven horses, five mules, and three donkeys. The camels, +seven in number, were allowed to wander freely over the desert. To an +inexperienced traveller their huge forms on the vast plain, in a dark +night, have the appearance of ghastly phantoms. Our moukri and the +camel-drivers had lighted a big fire, and were now stretched out at full +length around it. We had four moukri, one of whom was a Persian named +Ahsen, and two camel-drivers, Daud and Hassan, both from El Harish. We +heard Abou Nabout's voice every now and then in the kitchen tent for +some little time, but complete peace soon reigned, and it was not long +before our little camp were fast asleep. + + + + +II. + +TO BIR EL NUS AND KATYA. + + +The camels left the camp the first thing in the morning, that they might +have a good start of us, and by half-past seven o'clock the luggage was +disposed of, and we were again in the saddle. The traces of our sojourn +were still visible upon the moving sand, but would in all probability +become obliterated soon after our departure. It was a glorious day, and +we felt braced and invigorated by the pure air of the desert. Proceeding +through a uniform plain covered with purslane bushes, we saw rising in +the distance to our right, or south-east, the Jebel Abou Assab, +"Mountains of the father of the sugar-cane." From the more elevated +spots of the undulating surface we could see two steamers passing up the +canal, one of which was Austrian. The spectacle of these enormous +vessels, with their tall masts, majestically advancing to all appearance +through a sea of sand (for the canal itself was invisible), had a most +singular effect, and made us appreciate anew the wonderful character of +M. De Lesseps's grand undertaking. It was not long, however, before the +highest masts disappeared like phantoms behind the sandy waves through +which our path lay. After passing a small hillock on our right, called +Gerba--"water skin," we reached an undulating piece of ground commanding +a view of the mountains above referred to, and of the group of palms +known as Zaega--"the Beautiful." At the same time the scene was +agreeably relieved by one of those phenomena so common in the desert. A +beautiful mirage became gradually developed to our left, displaying the +reflection of a large lake, with its irregular outline, and even showing +with marvellous vividness the ruffled surface of the water. At some +distance we observed several Bedouins, and not far from us some of their +women, most of whom were engaged in leading black goats to their scanty +pasturage. + +A little further on, we came to a small hollow where at one time a +little water was to be met with, but which is now quite dry. We then met +a caravan of people from Ramleh, in Syria, who were taking a few +wretched horses and mules to Egypt for sale, and subsequently two +Bedouins, who applied to us for the customary backshish. + +[Illustration: JEBEL ABOU ASSAB.] + +Monotonous as our route was, we were not without entertainment and +sources of interest. Soon after starting we were joined by a remarkably +lean dromedary, bearing the mails from El Harish. We learned from his +rider, who, as may be imagined, was glad enough of the company of a +caravan, that the post went each way once a week, and so kept up some +degree of communication between El Harish and the outer world. The ease +with which the fleet animal strode across the sandy ground was quite +delightful to witness. Now and again he got some distance ahead, and our +horses had some difficulty in overtaking him. The entomology, too, of +the desert did not escape our attention. We collected several specimens +of _Anthia_, _Asida_, and _Scarabæus sacer_, the historical Scarabæus of +the Egyptians. + +After going slightly up hill for some distance further through the +wearisome sand, our eyes were gladdened by the sight of the group of +palms "El Guja"--"the snail," at the foot of the sand-hills, towards +which we turned that we might take our lunch beneath their grateful +shade. As one descends, a charming desert scene is presented by this +oasis, with the Jebel Abou Assab in the background. As soon as we +reached the spot, at half-past eleven o'clock, we pitched our little +tent, and, soothed by the gentle rustling of the breeze through the +leafy crowns of the tall and slender palms, enjoyed a delightful rest. I +afterwards made a sketch of a portion of the group (see illustration), +while Vives (one of our party) shot a couple of Calander larks and +captured a snake. Striking our tent at two o'clock, we went, before +continuing our journey, to look at the little well, which is lined with +palm-stems to keep out the sand. We found the water saline, as is usual +with desert springs. + +Again, proceeding upward across the sandy ground, we obtained a view on +our right of the summit of Jebel Abou Assah. Further on, we reached an +extended range of sand-hills, the tops of which had, from the action of +the wind, become as angular as though they had been cut with a knife. In +every direction were to be seen scattered about carcasses and skeletons +of camels, the most recent of which our horses passed with great +reluctance. The only living creatures to be met with in this still +desert region are a few king-ravens, two of which came within range, but +we did not feel tempted to take a shot at them. To our right we passed, +at the foot of low sand-hills, another small group of palms, called by +the natives El Garabiyat--"the foreign woman," with an enclosure +made by the Bedouins for the storage of dates. + +[Illustration: EL GUJA.] + +[Illustration: RUMMAN.] + +Our poor horses continued toiling along, alternately up and down hill, +across this chain of sand-hills, the sharp peaks of which stood out with +remarkable clearness against the dark blue sky. Here and there tufts of +grass, called Sabad, growing out between the sand, provide a welcome +fodder for the camels. Imposing in its wild solitude is the view +backward over the desert scene, with the palm group of +Rumman--"pomegranate," to the right (see illustration). Soon, however, +to our great joy, we came upon the palm group of Bir el Nus, signifying +"Half-way Well," with a tamarisk growing near. The well itself, the +water of which is slightly saline, is placed under a small group of +palms to the left. This little oasis, situated at three-fourths of the +distance from Kantara to Katya, is an inviting resting-place, but we +decided to go on; and, continuing our progress along the well-marked +road across the deep sandy ground, reached the small palm group of +Tahte--"subjacent," from which that of El Garif may be seen to the left +and that of Abou Raml to the right. These groups of verdure form a most +enlivening contrast to the dreary scene around. + +From Tahte the ground gradually rises, and we soon saw over the sandy +undulations the countless palms of Katya. Upon this, our Bedouins, who +were quite exhausted from their toilsome journey through the sand and +the scorching sun, expatiated in glowing terms upon the refreshing shade +and abundant water awaiting us. We then went on through a plain and +small coppice into a kind of Melleha, or saline plain, where we could +see in the distance gleaming between the palm stems the white canvas of +our tents, which we at length reached just before dusk. + +Our horses were much in need of rest after their laborious day's work, +and it may be imagined how welcome the flaming fire close to the tents +was to ourselves, and how heartily we enjoyed the evening meal which we +found ready laid for us, and the repose upon the soft outspread carpets. +All around us were encamped troops of Bedouins, the song of whose women +resounded far away in the stillness of the night. + +[Illustration: KATYA.] + + + + +III. + +FROM KATYA TO BIR EL ABD. + + +We awoke in sunny Katya, a delicious oasis of the most beautiful and +shady of palms! While the tents were being packed, that they might be +sent on to Bir el Abd, I reconnoitred the immediate neighbourhood. In +the middle of the zone of palms which encircle Katya like a girdle, is +an elevation covered with fragments of tiles, between which grow +numerous plants of _Sedum_, some of which are very thick-leaved. Near an +old tamarisk stands a very peculiar ruin of turret-like appearance, +called by the Arabs Burj--"castle." It is built of tiles and stones, +horizontally and vertically placed, and has a spiral staircase inside. +Not far off is a Koubba, containing a tomb, a defaced marble inscription +in Arabian, and two ancient columns, from one of which a garland hangs. +The palm-leaf stalks stuck in the ground outside indicate the sites of +various graves. Scattered about are several enclosures formed with +stalks of palm leaves, for the storage of ripe dates. The ground on +which the ruin stands is picturesquely surrounded with palms, of which +there are four principal groups, the total number of trees being perhaps +1500, for which the resident Bedouins have to pay the Government 1600 +piastres a year. + +In the first group of palms near the Koubba is the telegraph station, or +little house of the Arab watchmen who see to the maintenance of the +telegraph posts and wires. Behind a small hillock south of this house +there is another Koubba called Sheik el Mzeyen (see illustration), with +a doorstep of apparently old marble stone and an ornamental cupola. It +is surrounded by a great number of aloes, and contains a simple tomb. +Here, too, is a burial-place, with the graves indicated either by two +stones, a piece of palm stem, or a leaf stalk, and, in some cases, by a +fragment of camel bone. From this Koubba, the palm plantations extend +southward and form a kind of festoon with the Keteya group, which is +protected on the south-west by a hill of white sand. + +[Illustration: SHEIK EL MZEYEN, IN KATYA.] + +In the course of our ramble we met several Bedouins, who hailed us from +a distance with a friendly Marhaba--"Welcome!" With one or two of +them I exchanged a few words. Vives meanwhile shot a beautiful tufted +cuckoo (_Cuculus glandarius_), a splendid bird, which habitually flies +from the crown of one palm to that of another, and also a brace of +shrikes, or butcher birds (_Lanius minor_), and some black and white +chats (_Saxicola_). + +After resting awhile under the shady palms, we resumed our journey +towards noon, passing on the way the large well of Katya. This well is +the great feature of the beautiful oasis. It is of large dimensions, +lined with tiles, and provided with a gutter or trench to conduct the +water drawn to the different watering-places. There we found a caravan +from Damascus, with a number of horses and mules in the charge of +several lank moukri, who were bound for Cairo. This herd, together with +the tall drivers, with their fine swarthy features, and the background +of gigantic palms, made up a strikingly harmonious and characteristic +picture, the effect of which was greatly enhanced by the fragrant aroma +of the desert, and the various colours it presented under the bright +rays of the morning sun. + +Having no more time to spare, we resumed our way across the sandy plain, +and beautiful Katya soon vanished from our view like the fabric of a +vision. Here and there the uniformity and loneliness of the desert scene +were varied and enlivened by small groups of palms, beneath one of +which, after a long march, we fixed our midday station. The breeze +rustled gently through the crowns of the trees high over our heads, +while we lay on the ground gazing dreamily towards the yellowish horizon +clearly defined against the deep blue sky. All around reigned perfect +stillness. Now and then a party of Bedouin women, laden with +water-skins, passed us on the way to their tents, which probably were at +some hours' distance. + +After a brief rest we again went forward through the sandy tract, +diversified only by occasional groups of palms, and after proceeding +some distance reached a gentle slope, which brought us to the sandy hill +of Bar Sat Man, half-way to Bir el Abd. From there the road alternately +rises and descends over bare sand ridges, and then passes down a +declivity overgrown with rushes and grass to Bir el Aafin--"the stinking +well," which contains but little water, and that almost putrid. In the +distance we saw several flocks of goats in the charge of Bedouins, who +inhabit the whole tract of country right up to the sea. We also met a +caravan with horses, asses, and mules, which some Kurds were taking to +Cairo, the leader himself--a man advanced in years, wearing a green +turban--riding at their head on a handsome bay. + +After reaching a point from which we could see in the distance the Jebel +el Magara, a mountain spur of soft outline, we descended into a hollow. +To our right, between sandy ridges, lay Garif Bir el Abd, an extensive +Melleha, overgrown with rushes and purslane, and containing a small +quantity of rain-water. The action of this water on the soil produces an +excellent salt, which the Bedouins collect after evaporation at the +beginning of the summer. The smooth firm surface of the salty ground of +the Melleha, with bushes of purslane and _Caucalis_ on either side, is a +welcome change to both man and beast after so much laborious marching +through the bare sand. The purslane, when fresh and green, is much +relished by camels. In the Melleha we saw two laden with straw, with +their Bedouin keepers. + +Proceeding on our way, we soon found ourselves again in deep sand, and a +little further came to a small Sepha. The road then rises gently over +another sandy ridge to the funnel-shaped hollow of Bir el Abd--"the +negro's well," where we were to stay the night. The place had also been +chosen by some Bedouins for their encampment. As it was not at all late +when we arrived, I climbed the sandy hill near, in order to make a +sketch of the chain of the Magara, then illuminated by the setting sun +(see illustration); and we afterwards went on to one of the cottages of +the telegraph watchmen, who came forward to give us a friendly welcome. +These men are Arabs, and live there with their families. They are +provided with a small store of wire and a few insulators to enable them +to keep the telegraph in working order. They are placed at intervals all +along the line to Syria, the first station being the one I mentioned at +Katya, each man having a separate section to superintend. This +arrangement is absolutely necessary in consequence of the damage +occasioned by the violent winds which sometimes sweep over the desert. +At Bir el Abd there are two men, each with a separate house, built of +tiles, and a flat roof of the stalks of palm leaves. The lonesome and +uneventful life of these men seems strange enough when one thinks of the +important news constantly flashing over their heads, for the +uninterrupted transmission of which they are chiefly responsible. We +conversed with them for some little time, and gathered that they would +be well contented with their lot but for their anxiety on account of +the frequent danger to which their dwellings are exposed from the +strong, sand-bearing wind, called Hampsin. Little indeed is requisite to +satisfy the frugal and pious Arab. Bidding them farewell, we returned to +the tents and retired to rest soon after our meal. + + + + +IV. + +FROM BIR EL ABD TO BIR EL MAGARA. + + +By six o'clock the next morning all were stirring, and at seven we +struck our tents. Ascending from the hollow in which Bir el Abd is +situated, we came to an acclivity known as El Homda Bir el Abd, +overlooking the extended chain of Jebel el Magara in the distance. This +was followed by a flat piece of ground, upon which little was growing +beyond a number of plants of wormwood (_Artemisia monosperma_), and a +kind of prickly gray-leaved shrub with blue blossoms. Our path then +brought us to a Melleha with a few rushes, where the water was almost +entirely dried up, leaving a bed of salt. A little later we passed +across a plain of an almost uniform level, which appeared bounded to the +right by the high hills in the distance. On the same side is situated +Bir el Mabruka--"Well of the Mabruka," towards which we saw a party of +Bedouins making their way. This plain is succeeded by hilly ground, +distinguished as El Bassoul--"the onions," where white-blossomed broom +with thin leaves is met with, and, in a slight declivity, a few bushes. +From El Bassoul the road descends gently through a sandy tract, from +which to the left we saw the great Lehochomu Melleha, with a mirage +effect of such remarkable vividness as to make us think we had the open +sea before us (see illustration). At this part of our journey we met two +Bedouins, who greeted us with much ceremony. Here too, scattered about, +we found specimens of _Caucalis_. Our course then lay through drearily +uniform sandy ground, of somewhat broken configuration, and covered with +bushy vegetation, where we passed a telegraph post bearing the notice +that it was half-way between Bir el Abd and Bir el Magara. Here we +overtook our camels, which, as usual, had preceded us; but we sent them +on again, as we decided to pause for our midday meal. The wind being in +the south, the air was terribly oppressive, and I felt some apprehension +of the Hampsin. We accordingly pitched our tent in a hollow, overgrown +with rushes, where we were to some extent protected from the scorching +blasts. All our provisions were covered with the fine sand with which +the air was filled. We were passed by two travelling companies of +Bedouins, whom we had already seen on the road taking their scanty meal. +An old woman came up to us to ask for a drop of water. Glad as we should +have been to accommodate the poor creature, we dared not do so, lest we +should have had a visit from the whole troop of Bedouins on the same +errand, when our store would very soon have been exhausted. A youth of +eighteen, to whom we gave a pipeful of tobacco, also begged for a little +water, but we had to refuse him too. + +[Illustration: LEHOCHOMU-MELLEHA.] + +Being anxious to get on, we did not rest more than an hour. Continuing +to follow the telegraph posts, we came to a hilly, sandy district, +called El Brej, a most fatiguing section of the route, and much dreaded +by the Bedouins on account of the almost entire absence of water. To the +right is a small hollow where, by digging to some depth, just enough may +be found to moisten the sand, but it is so saline that it aggravates the +thirst instead of appeasing it. As we went on, the wind increased in +violence. We met a number of Bedouins greatly suffering from thirst and +heat, who asked us for a little water. It was most heartrending to see +young children toiling along, and to hear them entreating their parents +for a draught. Even now I can fancy I hear their piteous lamentations, +as one after the other they tried to drain a drop from the empty clay +bottles. One family I remember particularly; it consisted of an old man +and three little children, the two younger of whom were mounted upon an +emaciated old donkey, while the eldest, a thin, sunburnt lad, walked +with the old man behind. As the poor beast was struggling up a sandy +slope, its two little riders holding tight on, with their wan faces +fixed on the distant goal, it came down all at once with a deep groan. +The poor children rolled off terrified on to the sand. I shall never +forget the eyes of the old man as he came up panting. "Allah! Allah!" he +cried, with a supplicating glance heavenward. He then sat on the sand, +and took the children in his arms, leaving the ass to recover itself. We +were obliged to go on, and could do nothing for him but hope that his +prayer for help had been heard. + +A little further we passed a spot where we were told a wandering Hindoo +had four years ago succumbed from exhaustion and thirst. As may be +imagined, the account of his sufferings was anything but cheering. +Shortly after, we came upon our kitchen-boy, a native of Cairo, who +could go no further. All our people had become so worn out that they had +gone forward on the baggage mules, leaving the poor lad, as the +humblest among them, to make his way on foot through the deep sand as +best he could. He had besought our moukri to allow him to ride, but in +vain; every one cared only for himself. I ordered some bread, meat, and +water to be given to him, and we then had to leave him to shift for +himself. It was not until after midnight that he came into camp. + +We then descended slowly between roundish sand-ridges to the great +Melleha, El Mestebak--"Melleha of the wall-seat," where the deep sand +ceases. At a spot close to the entrance of the Melleha a little water +may usually be obtained by digging, but our camel-drivers, after trying +in vain to get some, had to content themselves with cooling their arms +and feet with the moist sand. This Melleha is of great length, +interrupted in one place only by a small saddle-shaped sand-hill, and is +bounded on both sides by ridges of sand. It gradually slopes into a +great flat plain with but one slight elevation in the centre, near which +lies the grave of a soldier of the time of Ibrahim Pacha, marked by +wooden pegs. This spot is also frequently used by the Bedouins as a +burial-place. Beyond this part the Melleha increases in width, and the +enclosing ridges become gradually lower, until a view is obtained +over those to the right of the extended Jebel el Magara. Only at the +time of heavy rainfalls does this Melleha contain much water. The sandy +tract which follows contains a great deal of white-blossomed broom, +which also grows further on in abundance. + +[Illustration: JEBEL EL MAGARA (TAKEN FROM EL BREJ).] + +[Illustration: KOUBBA EL MAGARA.] + +The wind having gradually abated, a cool afternoon breeze sprang up from +the direction of the sea. "Riyeh Bahri! Riyeh Bahri" (sea breezes), +cried our camel-drivers, delighted. It was not long before the Koubba of +Magara was within sight. Cheered with the thought of the approaching end +of our journey, we pushed briskly on, and at five o'clock reached the +camp, which had been pitched close to Bir el Magara--"Well of the +visit," in a hollow entirely surrounded by sand-hills, similar to that +of Bir el Abd. + +Situated upon rising ground at a short distance from the spot is the +half ruinous Koubba of the Sheik Suleiman, built about sixty years ago +of fossiliferous limestone, in which shells of _Cardium edule_ are +particularly prominent. On the side next to the sea is a pointed arch. +In the interior is a simple tomb covered with a linen cloth, an +inscription in the recess of the outer window, a green flag, and two +white bannerets. There are two papers bearing inscriptions affixed to +the wall, which is also painted in many places with red letters and +several crosses. + +Not far from the Koubba is the cottage occupied by the telegraph people, +natives of Cairo, who showed themselves very friendly, and gave us some +coffee, which a handsome boy handed round. After staying some little +time with them we returned to our tents, where we found a good dinner +ready for us. + +At a very late hour, the kitchen-boy whom we had left on the road came +into camp, accompanied by two Persian knife-grinders, with a young +Dervish from Eastern Asia. The Dervish wore long hair, and was dressed +in a garment entirely made up of patches of cloth of various colours. +These people had travelled with our caravan for two days, each carrying +the heavy grindstone in turns. It had often much amused us to watch the +care of the young Dervish, despite his fatigue, not to part with his +alms bag, attached to the end of a long staff, when taking the stone +upon his strong shoulders. + + + + +V. + +FROM BIR EL MAGARA TO EL HARISH. + + +At a quarter past seven the next morning, we took our departure from Bir +el Magara and ascended the gently-rising ground by which it is enclosed. +Leaving to our left a large Melleha, called El Berdovil, which at high +tides is filled with sea water, we followed a smaller one to our right, +and came into a sandy, undulating, shrubby, and generally uniform tract +of ground, which, after many hours' ride, brought us to a valley or +Melleha-bottom, called Garif el Jemel--"Garif of the camel," lying +between ridges of steep hills. Here we found the whole landscape in all +the beauty of the early year, with the Bedouins' herds grazing upon the +fresh green grass, which was covered with primroses and other spring +flowers. On ascending the ridge to the right we enjoyed a most extensive +view. To the left lay the Melleha, the broad sea Bahr el Kebir, as the +Bedouins call it, the invigorating breezes of which reached us, and the +uniform plain, with the mountains of El Magara and El Halal. We lunched +on the ridge, feasting our eyes once more upon the distant sea, which we +had not seen for so long. A Bedouin came and sat by us without speaking +a word. We gave him a piece of bread, which, I suppose, satisfied him, +as he then left us and went down the hill. + +It was soon time for us, too, to descend into the valley and resume our +course. Still following the telegraph posts through a uniformly +undulating plain, overgrown with shrubs, we reached a long Melleha +enclosed by low hills, beyond which are the so-called "steps" of Adam +Abou Zeit, the hero of Arabian legend, which are kept marked in the +moving sand by passing Bedouins. A heap of stones near indicates the +spot where Abou Zeit is said to have slain a Berdovil. On the left is a +ruined castle, built of shelly marlstone, which, according to Arabian +tradition, once belonged to the Berdovil in question. Thus does the +imagination of these children of the desert clothe even these desolate +places of the earth with interest, and connect ruins of diverse origin +with the heroes of their traditions. A step or two further are similar +ruins, known as Berj el Hashish--"the grass tracts," alleged by the +Arabs to be the remains of an old town. The great Melleha of Berdovil +extends along the foot of these ruins, and attains a considerable width +in the centre. We there saw a complete camel-skeleton, apparently of +somewhat recent date, which our horses scented from a distance, and took +care to keep a good way off in passing. + +On both sides of the road, which here runs along a small ridge (see +illustration), we saw several herds of cattle and troops of Bedouins. +Among them were two children trying in vain to recapture a stray camel. +It was very amusing to watch them as they alternately employed stratagem +and agility in order to effect their object. + +[Illustration: JEBEL EL HALAL (TAKEN FROM ARD EL MURRAH).] + +Going on we passed Nahle Abou Sheh--"the palms of Abou Sheh," and, in a +declivity, several small palm groups. These, together with the +asphodels, which literally whiten the ground, indicate the neighbourhood +of the sea. The large picturesque group, Etmil et te Jaber, is named +after a young man, belonging to a distinguished family, by whom they +were planted. The valley, our course through which I have described, is +of great length, and opens out widely on each side. It contains several +groves of palms in most picturesque groups, three of the principal of +which are situated in a small valley to the left. + +Beyond, the road leads, between roundish ridges of moving sand, through +the most complete desert, utterly desolate and bare, with scarcely a +bush to be seen. These ridges form a continuous line, with dales and +hollows between them. There is nothing to disturb the sublime stillness +of the scene. Not a creature is visible, and not a sound heard excepting +that of the distant breakers. + +Still keeping to the telegraph posts, we soon came within sight of the +castle of El Harish, the last outpost eastward of the Egyptian +Government. As we advanced over ridges and then over heaps of ruins, the +view of the castle became more and more distinct, and at length we could +overlook the palm-wood towards the sea, the beauty and shade of which +had been so frequently enlarged upon by the camel-drivers. There can +indeed be no more attractive picture for the mind of an Arab to dwell +upon, when toiling over shifting sands under a scorching sun, than that +of a plantation of palms, with abundant supply of water, on the shores +of an invigorating sea! + +[Illustration: WADI ABOU-SBEH.] + +As we approached El Harish, a row of men gathered outside the town wall. +After saluting them we proceeded to our tents at the south-east end +of the town. Having reached them we were congratulated by Abou Nabout +upon having safely accomplished our journey across the desert. + +After dinner we were visited by some of the authorities, who were +extremely cordial. As usual we offered them coffee and cigars. Their +stay, however, was but short, as they rightly presumed that we needed +repose. + + + + +VI. + +EL HARISH. + + +El Harish is the town of the desert which forms the most advanced post +of the Khedive in the direction of Turkish territory, and, as it +possesses many remarkable features, is worthy of a detailed description. +As the point of convergence of the caravan routes, the entire life of +the place is bound up with the caravan traffic, carried on by the +resident population with their camels; it is, in a word, a place of +camel-keepers. It is situated at about two miles from the sea, on the +outskirts of the desert, the daily advancing sands of which threaten in +time to cover a considerable portion of the town, and indeed have +already overwhelmed many houses in the south-west quarter of it. + +The climate is extremely salubrious. Snow is never to be seen; but there +are frequent hailstorms and heavy falls of rain, particularly in +February. The temperature is highest immediately after the Hampsin, +that is, at the beginning of the summer, and the very hot season lasts +four months. The strongest wind is the Hampsin, which prevails for fifty +days, and is here particularly disagreeable from the quantity of sand +which it brings. + +[Illustration: EL HARISH.] + +The population numbers 2800 souls, exclusive of the Bedouins living in +the neighbourhood. With scarcely an exception, the people are +Mussulmans, and extremely fanatical; some portion of them are of Turkish +origin, but none speak Arabic. There are but eight Christians in the +place--three of whom are women. The garrison consists of sixty soldiers, +including ten artillery-men, commanded by the governor of the fortress, +whose especial task it is to restrain the excesses of the Bedouin +tribes. The latter have a great dread of the military, as immediately a +Sheik lays himself open to suspicion he is arrested and despatched to +Cairo. Their conduct has consequently of late been very circumspect, +particularly since their last outbreak, which was severely punished. + +There are no rich people in Harish, the richest possessing at the most +not more than twenty camels; many persons are, on the contrary, so poor +as to be forced to procure their camels on credit. Should an animal +come to grief under such circumstances, the poor debtor is a ruined man. +Altogether there are 500 camels in the place--60 of which are for the +use of the soldiers; also 60 hayin or dromedaries, one only of which is +assigned to them. There is an almost incredible difference between the +capabilities of the camel and the dromedary, as much as between those of +the English draught-horse and race-horse. An idea of the extraordinary +fleetness of dromedaries may be gathered from the fact that there are +several in Harish who can run easily in one day from Harish to Kantara. +A very serviceable animal, suitable either for draught purposes or for +running, results from a cross between the dromedary and camel. + +There are but ten horses in Harish; but, on the other hand, no less than +150 asses, of the black or black-and-white-spotted Bedouin race; about +200 goats, 100 sheep, and 35 cows. The sheep and cows are mostly from +Syria. Pigeons and fowls are largely kept, but only a few turkeys, and +still fewer ducks. Dogs are also not numerous. + +The game of the district comprises quails (during the migratory season), +hares, and gazelles. The last named are caught by the Bedouins when +young, at some distance in the interior, but frequently die when their +horns begin to grow. They are transported long distances, without +injury, in a basket of palm leaves, the small feet being tucked up under +the belly, and the head only peering out of the basket, which of course +is firmly fastened with cord. + +Fish abound in the neighbouring sea, and are caught by moonlight, with a +bell-shaped net only, draw-nets being not used here. In Harish itself +there are not more than fifteen or twenty persons who follow fishery as +a calling. There are, however, many fishermen engaged in the preparation +of salt fish, who come over from Damietta and live behind the Berdovil. +In the same way they fish the Melleha, referred to above, in which are a +large number of mullet. The fishing-ground has been rented from the +Government by an Arab, who is even thinking of setting up a boat. +Hitherto the fishermen have always come here from Port Said, along the +shore, on foot. + +The palm trees of Harish, of which there are about 6000, are the +principal basis of the local product. No impost whatever is paid for +them to the Government, the concession being presumably accorded to the +population, in consideration of their being inhabitants of a frontier +station. No wine is made from the palms of Harish, the sap being +principally used for the preparation of sugar. The black and red dates +are retained for home consumption, while the yellow, as also the Agua +dates (pounded date cakes), are exported in sacks. The fruit of the +place consists principally of figs and grapes, the latter being chiefly +grown in the western portion of the district. For the most part they are +white table grapes, but we heard that the under health officer of Harish +was attempting to make wine from some of them. Melons are also +extensively cultivated here, more particularly in Wadi, and are +preserved for some time by hanging. The vegetables include tomatoes, +garlic, onions, and carrots; barley, wheat, maize, and small sweet +vetches are also grown, more or less. + +Industrial pursuits are almost entirely neglected. A few articles of +clothing, etc., are made for actual home use, but nothing more. These +comprise, for instance, winter jackets of sheepskins (made with the +bare skin outside, the hair being worn next the body); camel's-hair +sacks; close-fitting camel's-hair caps (a very warm and practical +head-gear, and consequently worn by the military and officials under +their fez); and black and striped cloaks of sheep's wool, such as are +seen in Syria. + +The commerce of the place is insignificant, and what there is consists +chiefly of a transit trade, for, being really little more than a large +station of camel-keepers, Harish has no trade of its own. It has, +therefore, much suffered from the construction of the Suez Canal, since +which, almost the entire trade between the south of Syria and Egypt goes +by water, leaving but a small portion for the once famous caravan route. +From Harish itself no goods whatever are exported by land, excepting, +occasionally, dates for Gaza. There are no boats at Harish, as the shore +is bad and full of reefs. Corn and fruit often come by ship from Jaffa, +and sometimes timber for building purposes, but this does not happen +very often, as most of the timber required at Harish is brought from +Wadi. Altogether, ships do not come more than fifteen or sixteen times +in the year, when they are either laden as described, or simply +ballasted, and return with cargoes of melons, dates, and Agua dates. +Sometimes shipwrecks occur on these inhospitable coasts. As has been +already mentioned, the postal service between Harish and the outer world +is provided for by a weekly mail to Kantara, by means of a dromedary. + +I will now give some description of the place itself. Harish lies along +the side of an undulating hill fronting the sea, at the foot of the +large quadrangular castle, a substantial building of calcareous +marlstone. The only entrance to the castle is by a great gate opening +from the town, and, therefore, upon the side next the sea. On either +side of the gate is a round tower, with a marble pillar--the capital of +which is inverted--built into the stone. Above are five marble tablets +with inscriptions. A sixth tablet stands below the loophole, from which +the standard-bearer (whose grave will be mentioned presently) was killed +by the French. From the lower inscription we learn that the castle is +327 years old, and was built by the Sultan Suleiman. The upper tablets +bear the name of the Sultan Selim. A gate with iron mountings leads into +the T-shaped entrance-hall, in the centre of which is an oval cupola, +and on either side slightly pointed arches. At the entrance is a +circular arch, and a similar one at the opposite end of the hall, in +which a lamp is suspended, and where there are three marble steps +leading up to the mosque. This is a very simple edifice, covered by a +flat roof of palm-leaf stalks, and containing two rows of four pointed +arches, with four ancient marble pillars built into the stone. To the +left of the Mihrab, which has two marble pillars, and is also +distinguished by simplicity, is a mural inscription. The Mem Ber is of +the same character, and is constructed of red and green painted wood. +Four men are set apart for the service of the mosque, one only of whom +is a priest. + +Passing out through a side-door to the left, we found, opposite to the +Jama, an old Egyptian sarcophagus of black granite, now used as a water +trough, covered within and without with very small hieroglyphics. + +The interior of the fortress has a very deserted air. We found there +dilapidated clay houses for the soldiers, and, somewhat to the side, the +divan of the governor, which consists of a hall with two circular +arches, the interior containing low sofas covered with rich carpets. +There we waited upon the governor, who, according to invariable custom, +ordered coffee to be served. He then took us over the armoury, in which +was a small field-piece for mounting on camels, and afterwards conducted +us over the fortress. The entire castle, as already mentioned, forms a +quadrangle, and has four hexagonal towers, with embrasures, and a few +bronze cannons. A gallery in a ruinous condition runs round the entire +length of the walls, with a parapet of some six feet in height and +embrasures. The towers of the castle command an extensive view of the +desert, with the distant mountain chains of El Halal and El Magara in +the south-east, the magnificent palm plantation towards the sea, and the +town of Harish itself spread out below. + +To the left hand of the castle gate, on passing out, is a small +enclosure overgrown with shrubs, in which is the tomb, already referred +to, of the Piraktar, or standard-bearer, who was killed by the French in +the time of Napoleon. It is of simple clay, ornamented at the corners +with ancient pillars. + +Altogether, El Harish has a poverty-stricken appearance, with rugged +uneven streets, formed merely of a sandy earth. Gray is the prevailing +hue, relieved only in a few places by the green of one of the loftier +palm trees projecting above the buildings. These are of clay and +straw,--the clay tiles being cemented with sand and clay; the roofs are +flat and very roughly finished. Most of the houses have small courtyards +communicated with by rough sliding doors. It is very seldom that one +sees curved arches over these; they are almost invariably quadrangular, +with a wooden bar as head piece. To many of the doors camels' skulls +have been attached by the occupiers, who for the most part are +camel-keepers, as a protection against evil spirits. Over the entrance +doors large branches of the tamarisk are frequently hung for a shade. +These plain courtyards, which contain nothing but a few indispensable +things, are, as it were, the private domain of the inhabitants, in which +they often keep their cattle. They rarely communicate with each other, +and of course are closed to strangers, unless accompanied by the +proprietor. The chattels they usually contain are a few large clay +water-pitchers, clay vessels in the form of casks, for the storage of +grain, which, after being filled from the top, are closed and the grain +afterwards drawn off as required from an opening in the bottom; a +bell-shaped poultry-coop made of clay, with a lid, which is kept down by +a stone when necessary; pigeon-holes either in the clay wall round the +yard, or in the wall of the house itself; and small baking ovens with +side-door and place under for fire. In the kitchens, too, which are as a +rule wretched holes, there are small baking ovens with flat tops, such +as are common throughout Egypt. The houses of the more prosperous +inhabitants are not unfrequently provided with a raised space, railed on +both sides, and sometimes latticed in front, which is fitted with +receptacles for jars and other domestic articles. + +Ancient columns and pedestals are sometimes built into the houses. There +are usually several wooden doors between these and the courtyards, which +also serve as windows. Light is also provided for in many rooms by small +wood lattices or jalousies, firmly built into the wall, the lattices +often consisting of nothing but palm-leaf stalks stuck into the clay +wall. When there is an upper story, which is rarely the case, it is +approached from the courtyard by a staircase, usually dilapidated, with +stairs of shelly marlstone. The stairs and floors of the interior, when +there are any, are of clay. The roofs are formed with cross beams +connected by palm-leaf stalks and pegs, which are then covered with palm +leaves, and clay finally thrown over the whole. Those provided with an +upper story live there in the summer, as it usually contains several +latticed windows, and is consequently cooler. Most of the houses have a +partition for sheep and goats. + +[Illustration: THE BAZAAR OF EL HARISH.] + +There is but little in the whole town worthy of a visit. East of the +fortress is the simple quadrangular tomb of Mahomet el Domiats, which +bears a Greek inscription. Facing this is a house of refuge for +casual passers-by, with a subterranean cistern, still containing water. +Upon a small uneven piece of ground, called Ard Sheik el Kashif, is a +Kittabia, or children's school, a roughly built house like the rest, +where the lively youngsters assemble to be taught by their half blind +master. + +About the centre of the town is situated the little Souk or bazaar, with +a number of miserable booths (see illustration), which I searched in +vain for specimens of native industry. While engaged on my sketch I had +an opportunity of seeing some old coins found in the neighbourhood. + +The cemetery is situated beyond a piece of land fenced with a prickly +hedge, at a short distance from which there is a very old Nebke tree. It +has a most neglected aspect. There are a large number of tombs in the +form of steps, and here and there various kinds of pedestals, some of +which are fluted. It also contains the roughly constructed Koubba of the +Sheik Ghebara, with a pyramidical cupola coated with clay. + +On the opposite or east side of the cemetery there is a slight rise in +the ground affording a good view of the entire place, as well as of the +large palm wood towards the sea, and the extensive plain planted with +fig trees between the dunes of the coast and the cemetery. While I was +sketching there, an old man approached and looked at the grave of some +children, which no doubt were his own. He then looked up and enquired +whether I was a father, and on my replying in the negative, ejaculated +in a tone of the deepest sympathy, "Poor man!" An instance, this, of the +high value set by these people upon the blessings of family life. "But," +he added after a pause, "we must submit to God's will." + +Here and there we remarked tombs in a better condition, with aloes +planted around, and one or two that were even whitewashed. Many +"Haddayas" (_Milvus ater_, or black kite) and kestrels (_Falco +tinnunculus_) were flying about this deserted burial-place, which one +might almost have fancied to be the spirits of the departed. + +Westward of the cemetery and below the town is a kind of vale or +declivity planted with tamarisks and fig trees, and containing three +wells provided with handspikes. Numbers of women and children with black +jugs from Gaza go there to draw water, giving, as may be imagined, great +life and animation to the scene. The water, like that of all the wells +of the place, is somewhat saline. At Wadi the water is perfectly fresh. + +[Illustration: EL HARISH (VIEW ON THE NORTHERN SIDE).] + +Proceeding still in a westerly direction, we came to the telegraph +posts and the beginning of the route leading through the desert, which +now lay unrolled before us. This road is the same by which we came to El +Harish. Ruins of old buildings, asserted by the inhabitants to date from +the time of the crusades, strewed the ground in every direction. In some +cases the foundations might be clearly traced. It is said that old coins +are still found now and then under the ruins. From the numerous aloes +growing, it is perhaps to be inferred that graves once existed at this +spot. A good view is obtained there of the place and its surroundings, +including the sea and the verdant edge of the palm wood near it. + +The lazaretto is a wretched building, with a flagstaff and two houses +projecting on the two sides. The entrance is from the side fronting the +road towards Syria. In the rear is a yard, containing a small garden but +no supply of water, which has therefore to be brought from the Wadi. The +houses are of the same character as those of El Harish generally, but +slightly more European in style. In the larger lives the deputy +commissioner, the smaller being occupied by his adjutant, who is a +remarkable example of the mixture of races so common in this country. +His father was a Dalmatian, whose family came from Sebenico, and he +himself was born in Egypt of a Nubian mother, being therefore almost a +mulatto. He was educated in Dalmatia, and is a Christian. + +The quarantine processes do not take place in the building, but are +performed in tents, which are kept in readiness on the premises, and +erected as occasion requires. + +From the lazaretto we proceeded in the afternoon towards the sea, which +is beyond the beautiful palm plantations, and not more than +half-an-hour's ride from El Harish. Our path first brought us to the +Koubba of Nebi Gasser (see illustration). This is a quiet burial-place +planted round with dark green tamarisks, strongly contrasting with the +yellow sands, which again are well set off by the background of sea and +sky. The repose and peace of this little spot are intensified by the +neighbourhood of the vast expanses of desert and sea, which here meet as +though to rival each other. + +[Illustration: KOUBBA OF NABI GASSER.] + +Upon the hill of the Koubba, fragments of old masonry lie scattered +about. In the interior of the somewhat large building, the door of which +bears an Arabian inscription, is a conical cupola upon four roughly +constructed arches. To the right, on entering, is the tomb of Nebi +Gasser, over which is a canopy of green cloth upon a framework of +wood. To the left is that of one of his followers. There are in the +sand, on the land side, many traces of graves, which may be known by the +aloes growing near. In many places a piece of marble column or of stone +still projects, but it cannot be long before all such vestiges disappear +under the ever advancing sands. At the side of the Koubba is an old +tamarisk of the thick-leaved sort, called by the people Atel, those with +the thin leaves, of which there are many examples here, being known as +Tarfa. + +Going eastward from the Koubba of Nebi Gasser, we soon reached the broad +Wadi, which still brings water down from the hills. It may be crossed +either close to the sea-shore, or at a shallower spot not far distant. +To the left of the Wadi are many vegetable gardens, with numerous wells. +The large palm wood lies to the right of the Wadi, and stretches down +nearly to the sea. The trees generally are of slender dimensions, but of +gigantic height. The scene altogether is one calculated powerfully to +stimulate the imagination. The solemn stillness which prevails it is +impossible to describe. The regular sound of the distant breakers, +mingled with the gentle whisperings of the breeze through the palms; the +flights of kites floating aimlessly in the air; the peculiar character +of the shade of the palm, through the leafy crowns of which the light +penetrates in trembling waves; the dark green tints of the foliage +against the transparently blue Egyptian sky;--all combine to produce an +effect which must be experienced to be realised. + +The different groups of the palm wood are interspersed with pieces of +meadow land, watered by seven wells, and upon which are ten mean huts +occupied by Arab herdsmen. The wood stretches for some distance over the +broad surface of the Wadi, which, when swollen, frequently uproots +many trees. In the entire Wadi there are some thirty fresh-water wells +for the supply of the vegetable gardens, where onions, tomatoes, melons, +etc., are grown. It contains, too, numerous young palm groves of recent +plantation. Immediately beyond the point to which irrigation extends, +the barren desert again commences. + + + + +VII. + +FROM EL HARISH TO SHEIK EL ZVOYED. + + +But at length the time came to take leave of El Harish and its friendly +inhabitants. Early on the morning of our departure the governor and all +our acquaintances came once more to greet us, and, on our moving away +eastward, stood until we were out of sight, making signs of farewell and +other demonstrations of goodwill. The governor strongly counselled us +not to stop until we reached Sheik el Zvoyed, as he judged the road +between El Harish and that place to be unsafe for encampment, and also +furnished us with an attendant, named Ramadan, a powerfully built man, +with sunburnt features, as a guard in case of our meeting with hostile +Bedouins. Our escort, who was mounted upon a cross-bred camel, and armed +with a long sword and Arabian firearms, proved to be a most obliging and +serviceable companion. + +Soon after quitting El Harish we advanced upward into the broad clayey +bed of the Wadi, upon the opposite bank of which we found the +burial-place of the Bedouins, containing several tombs and a large +number of aloes. Then we reached the opposite side of the Wadi, of +cliff-like character, the clay of which is much worn away by the water. + +A guardhouse is situated there, occupied by three soldiers, who demanded +from us certificates of health. On our telling them that everything had +been arranged at El Harish, and that we had but just left there, we were +allowed to proceed without further question. + +Beyond the guardhouse the road passes through a bare plain, and then +rises for some distance over sandy hills into undulating ground, where +the hill ridges run parallel to the sea. We observed a number of +asphodels growing, and here and there patches of corn land. As we +advanced further the vegetation became thicker and thicker, the bare +sand-hills continuing on our left only. We saw many Bedouins at work on +the land--of which many extensive tracts are under cultivation--with no +other implements than ordinary hoes and a one-horse "camel." In many +places there grows an inferior kind of grass, called Hafour, which, +however, makes excellent pasturage. We saw a good number of goats and +sheep about, evidently in a thriving condition. + +[Illustration: EL HARROUBA.] + +After passing through the large fruitful valleys of Wadi el Geradi +(valley of the earth), and Wadi el Harrouba (valley of the St. John's +bread--the Locust or Carob tree), we ascended a hill from which there is +an extensive view (see illustration). From there the road runs through a +short valley past some cultivated tracts, the land being elsewhere +overgrown with _Artemisia monosperma_. To the right a tree may be +observed, which marks the scene of a terrible battle that took place +fifteen years ago between the Tarabin Bedouins from Gaza and the Zowarka +Bedouins from El Harish. + +We found the land improve as we went on, and in many places observed +well-cultivated fields. Some attempts, moreover, had been made to define +and improve the road by the construction of ditches on each side. +Continuing to follow the telegraph posts, we came, after some distance, +to rising ground, from which we had a wide view of the almost flat +valley, which was covered with the above-named shrubs. In the distance, +to the left of the valley, we could see, along the borders of an utter +desert, the palms and the Koubba of Sheik el Zvoyed. + +At the foot of the partially cultivated hill to the left, is a large +Melleha filled with rain-water, and bounded on the other side by bare +sand-hills, in the midst of which are three beautiful palm groups. For a +full view of this characteristic picture, rendered remarkably effective +by the solitude of the scene, it is necessary to cross the hill. On the +east side the Melleha is shallow, and ends in marshy ground, overgrown +with rushes, beyond which is a plain extending to the desert. So +exhilarated were our horses by the taste of the green herbage, of which +they had so long been deprived, that many got away from us and galloped +wildly across the Melleha. It took us nearly an hour to secure them, +which we ultimately did by hemming them in between the water and +ourselves. Flights of kites passed over our heads, probably attracted by +some carcass not far distant. + +From the Melleha we soon reached Sheik el Zvoyed, where we found to our +delight the tents already pitched upon the emerald green sward. + +[Illustration: MELLEHA OF SHEIK EL ZVOYED.] + +We were met in a friendly way by the man in charge of the telegraph +posts of the district; and several Bedouins, attracted either by +curiosity or the hope of a "backshish" in some shape or other, came +and seated themselves around us in picturesque groups. After remaining a +short time longer, to enable me to complete a sketch of this bright +little spot (see illustration), we returned to our tents, which we were +very glad to reach after our long ride. + + + + +VIII. + +FROM SHEIK EL ZVOYED TO KHANYUNIS. + + +The meadows lay smiling in the morning sun, and their fresh pasture +appeared greatly to strengthen and invigorate our animals. While the +packing was being done I went to take a look round Sheik el Zvoyed. The +first thing I came to was the house, built of clay and straw, similar to +that described at El Harish, where the man lives who keeps the telegraph +posts and wires in working order. Attached to it is a small courtyard, +in the peaceable possession of fowls, turkeys, pigeons, and even ducks. +Not far off is a smaller house, where oil and various wares from Gaza +are sold for the benefit of the neighbouring Bedouins, who all belong to +the Zowarkas. Behind the houses are a number of slender palms, and at a +short distance lies the burial-ground, containing a few graves, with +numerous aloes growing between them. In the centre stands the Koubba +of Sheik el Zvoyed, built of square stones, with an inscription in +Arabic over the door. The interior of the Koubba is cupola-shaped, and +it contains a tomb covered with green cloth stretched over a wooden +frame. + +[Illustration: OUR CAMP IN SHEIK EL ZVOYED.] + +Water is procurable from the sand-hills somewhat to the west behind the +houses, not saline, but not of good flavour. The Bedouins of the +neighbourhood go there with their donkeys to draw it in black Gaza jars. +Both men and boys may be constantly seen threading their way along the +sandy path; many of the boys have fine regular features, with sparkling +eyes, but of that melancholy expression so peculiar to Bedouin children. +In many parts of the country surrounding Sheik el Zvoyed, ruins and +heaps of stones are to be met with, telling of places formerly +inhabited. + +On returning to the camp I found the packing completed, and after +shaking hands with the telegraph man we at once continued our journey. +At first we passed through meadows, partially bordered with trees, and +across sandy hills, and then descended a grassy slope called Lazga, from +which we surveyed the extensive plain before us, with the sandy hills on +the left projecting into the bright green surface like islets in the sea +(see sketch). To the right are two large "Sidr" trees called Sager el +Emir (the tree of the Emir) or Magrunte.[3] In the gently undulating +plain there are many daffodils and blue-flowering Iris. The pretty +meadows then alternated with barley fields, where numerous birds, such +as larks, large buntings, and quails, are constantly to be seen. From a +slight elevation we could overlook the whole of the plain stretching +away beneath us, and in the distance we saw three Bedouin tents, and +some cows grazing on the rich meadow land. We then passed the road +leading to Arfeh, about two miles distant, where good water is to be had +in the very middle of the sand. + +[Footnote 3: Large specimens of _Zizyphus Spina-Christi_, Willdenow, +called "Sidr" in Egypt, where its fruit is called "Nabak." In Palestine, +the tree is named "Doom," and the fruit "Sidr." Magrunte or Magroonât +(in Syriac "Madjroonât") means "the female neighbours."] + +Fragments of gray granite pillars, still standing, are here to be met +with about the road, the fields, and the sand, and we saw one lying on +the ground half buried. On one side stands a "Sidr" tree (see sketch), +and to the right in the other hollow of the valley is another. The +pillars are the remains of an ancient temple, Raphia, and are of special +importance in the eyes of the Arabs, who call them Rafah, as they mark +the boundary between Egypt and Syria. + +[Illustration: SAGER EL EMIR.] + +[Illustration: RAFAH COLUMNS.] + +We took our midday meal close to the pillars, being now within the Holy +Land, and after a short rest resumed our journey. Leaving a green +sloping valley on the left, and passing sandy hills, we went over gently +undulating grass-land, and saw before us the township of Benishaela, +situated on the flat crest of a hill. Numerous cows grazing, and flocks +of kites soaring in the air, enlivened the otherwise monotonous +landscape. + +But here the aspect of the country suddenly changed, and we saw that we +had entered the Land of Promise. Mud walls, with thorn bushes and +prickly pears, enclosed the fields, in which almonds, apricots, and +figs, sycamores, locust, and "Sidr" trees, vied with each other in a +luxuriance all the more cheering to the eyes of the traveller from the +barren desert. Passing several small houses built of clay, straw, and +stones, we reached at three o'clock Khanyunis, the picturesque Kala of +which seemed to invite our approach. We found that our camps had been +pitched opposite to it in a field surrounded by opuntias. + +The governor Chaker Effendi, whose family were still in El Halil +(Hebron), where he formerly resided, came to welcome us. He was very +friendly, and ordered our camp to be guarded by three cavalry and four +infantry soldiers, who relieved each other every two hours. There were +one or two negroes amongst them, but the greater number were slim and +muscular Arabs, and some of them remarkably handsome men. The governor +personally conducted us afterwards over the Kala. Before describing +this, however, I must give the reader some general account of +Khanyunis. + + + + +IX. + +KHANYUNIS. + + +Khanyunis (or Khan Yunas) is the furthest Syrian place in the direction +of Egypt, and in some respects the last outpost of the immediate +authority of the Porte, as El Harish is of that of the Khedive. Between +the two lies that desert tract in which the Rafah pillars stand, +indicating the supposed boundary between the two countries. The Bedouin, +however, wanders at will over the waste land, caring little whether he +happens to be in Egypt or Syria. + +As in El Harish, the Kala constitutes the castle of the place, and is at +the same time the nucleus around which the other buildings have +gradually clustered. + +Khanyunis is now a pleasant village, but does not at present contain +more than 1000 inhabitants. Formerly the population was larger, having +reached 1800, but it has decreased owing to the frequent inroads of the +Tarabin Bedouins, who only three years ago set fire to the crops of the +poor villagers. All the Bedouins who haunt the neighbourhood are +Tarabins. They are generally well provided with horses and asses, some +of the former being fine animals, of great powers of endurance. Since +Khanyunis has been supplied with a stronger garrison, they are kept in +check, and the state of affairs is consequently much improved. There are +now fifty foot and fifty horse soldiers, almost exclusively sons of the +desert, who look quite picturesque with their Koufi as head-dress, and +Arabian costume. They are fine muscular fellows, and extremely courteous +in manner. The villagers wear the usual South Syrian costume, and are of +fairly strong build. Some of the boys have two ringlets hanging at the +sides of their heads,--a fashion not uncommon among the Bedouins. There +are two schools for the instruction of youth, and, judging from the fact +that nearly every one can read, they must be well attended. + +[Illustration: KALA OF KHANYUNIS.] + +The interior of the village presents but a poor appearance, the streets +being dirty and disfigured by numerous trenches for carrying off the +rain. The houses, between which lofty palms raise their towering heads, +are built of mud and stone. The inferior quality of stone consists of +shell detritus and shale conglomerate from the neighbouring +sea-shore, and the better material is brought from different ruins, +sometimes from a distance of ten to twelve hours' journey. The roofs of +the houses are flat, and over many of the entrances, which have wooden +lintels, a piece of bone is fixed as a protection against the influence +of the Evil eye. For the better defence of the inhabitants against the +incursions of the Bedouins, the houses have loopholes; ventilation is +provided for by a number of round holes arranged either in rows or +tasteful designs. As has been said, the principal feature of Khanyunis +is its Kala (see sketch), which abuts on a broad place or square, the +left side of which still shows traces of a former enclosure. On either +side of the entrance is a hall, with a fragment of a pedestal. That on +the left contains the modest dwelling of the governor, who lives quite +alone here, with but one servant. The Kala, which is 850 years old, once +formed a square, at the corners of which were circular towers, with oval +cupolas, and three embrasures. The two front towers only now remain, the +back wall having been quite destroyed, and the once enclosed square is +now filled with a wild confusion of wretched houses, half in ruins, +which serve the soldiers as a place of habitation. In the centre of the +front side is a gate with loopholes within the pointed arch, above +which is a Moorish frieze crowned with lilies. On both sides of the +gate, and on the broad front wall, are pyramidical battlements with +tapering ends. Inside the archway is an inscription of Sultan Bargut of +Cairo, and either side is ornamented with a lion, rudely sculptured in +relief. Arabic inscriptions are cut in the walls on both sides of the +gate, and in the gateway itself; no regard having been paid to keeping +within the stone rows. To the right of the gate, within the Kala, rises +the octagonal minaret of the mosque, from which is obtained a fine view +of the ruinous interior, with its labyrinth of dilapidated houses, as +well as of the whole village. From here four roads can be seen diverging +from Khanyunis, namely the El Harish road, the road leading to Suez +_viâ_ Akaba, the Benishaela road, and lastly, the Gaza road. At the +entrances to these roads are grouped the houses of the village. Raising +our eyes towards the horizon we saw the yellow sand-hills which bound +the plantations towards the sea, strikingly contrasting with the bright +green trees, and on the other side the rich verdant plain stretching +away towards Gaza, which may be discerned in the distance. The numerous +prickly-pear bushes surrounding the village on the Gaza side are a +conspicuous feature in the landscape. + +We now descended to complete our inspection of the Kala. In the interior +the mosque, with its oval dome, has almost gone to ruin; but the fine +though simple marble pulpit still stands in good preservation. In the +midst of the ruins, which have a somewhat picturesque appearance, is a +house in a very dangerous condition, in consequence of a considerable +portion of the mosque having fallen on it a short time since. +Notwithstanding this, however, the people are heedless enough to +continue occupying it. Only a few steps' distance a lofty palm was +recently blown down by a violent storm. Thus the works both of man and +nature meet with a common destruction, the inhabitants not thinking it +worth while to do the least in the way of repair, or to make the +slightest attempt to protect themselves against impending danger. +Lethargy and nonchalance are the leading characteristics of Eastern +nations, and a certain evidence of the gradual decay of their religion +and race. + +There is another mosque in the village opposite the Kala, but without a +minaret. From its exterior it is scarcely to be recognised as a Jama. +Near one of the ruined towers of the Kala's outer enclosure, and at the +corner of a house on the road to Gaza, stand ancient pedestals, serving +as seats for the Mayor, Sheik el Beled. + +The Souk or Bazaar of Khanyunis is formed by two streets lined with +wretched Turkish shops, with mud or clay projections for seats. The +doors are made to flap upward, but they close imperfectly; the roofs +are, as usual, made of the Artemisia shrub. The goods exposed in these +shops come for the most part from Gaza and Jaffa; but the caps of +camel's hair and of cotton, as well as the white and black Syrian +mantles, are made by the villagers themselves. At the end of the +village, near the Souk, and on the road to El Harish, is the second +public well, about 18 fathoms deep, and built entirely of ancient marble +fragments. At the side is a cistern with cattle-troughs of the same +material, which evidently belongs to a more flourishing period than the +present. Somewhat further on, behind a slight hollow with stagnant water +and a few palm trees, in the Akaba and Suez road, is the burial-ground, +containing a few whitewashed tombs of step-like construction. At the +opposite end of the village, where the road is open to the surrounding +country, we came upon a hollow with embankments, and then took the road +leading to Benishaela. + +In the neighbourhood of Benishaela there are many gardens, which bear +witness to the extreme fertility of the soil; though unfortunately there +is not a single well among them. Almonds and apricots are the chief +productions, and the raised ground enclosing them is often covered with +small branches of the thorny "Sidr." Near the village we saw several +"Sidr" trees, as well as tamarisks (Atel) and sycamores. The most +numerous class are the thorny Opuntias, which grow round some of the +gardens in rank luxuriance. + +The people of Khanyunis do not live exclusively from the cultivation of +the ground; they are also largely engaged in cattle-breeding, and a +great many cows are to be seen in the neighbourhood. Of camels there are +but few; horses, on the other hand, are numerous. I also saw four +greyhounds of the Syrian breed. As is well known, it is Richard Coeur +de Lion to whom is ascribed the introduction into the Holy Land of the +greyhound, which, crossing with the ordinary street dog, originated the +above-mentioned breed. These dogs were not of pure blood; they were +spotted white and yellow, with shaggy hair and blue stripes, studded +with cowries, on their haunches. They are used for hunting gazelles, +which are frequently caught alive when very young. One of these graceful +creatures was brought to us and offered for a sum equal to six +shillings; it was very tame, and we carried it for some distance. But at +length it died, in consequence, as was said, of having eaten bread, +which, according to Abou Nabout's assertion, is very unwholesome for +these animals. The more probable cause was the trying journey it made in +a basket on a camel's back. There are only a few street dogs in +Khanyunis; but, as a compensation, any quantity of kites, kestrels, and +crows, which alight in hundreds on the loftier sidr or sycamore trees in +the neighbourhood, and may often be seen hovering over the village on +the look-out for prey and carrion. + + + + +X. + +FROM KHANYUNIS TO GAZA. + + +The broad sandy road from Khanyunis to Gaza passes for some distance +through gardens with Opuntia hedges, and embankments crowned with thorn +bushes. To the left, the gardens extend to sandy hills; and to the right +as far as Benishaela, a village standing on an elongated hill, and +containing 500 inhabitants. Behind this is another village called +Abansan, with many cultivated tracts in the neighbourhood. On the +uniform hill-range on which Benishaela is situated, and which bounds the +valley on the land side, is the grave of Sheik Mohammed, at the foot of +an old tree, and adjoining a small house which serves as the Koubba. To +the right are the tents of the Bedouins, who are numerous here, and are +the sole proprietors of the rich meadow lands. + +After keeping for some distance to the telegraph posts across the sand, +we again passed through meadows, and then reached the dry sandy bed of +a brook called Wadi Selga, bordered on the left by earth banks and on +the right by meadows. After heavy rainfalls the stream of this brook +extends from the mountains to the sea. + +On the left hand, about half-an-hour's ride from the main road, is the +village of Der el Belah (enclosure of date-trees), the only one we met +with before reaching Gaza. It lies in a valley, on a Melleha, which is +only separated from the sea by a rather low shore, and bounded at the +lower end by sand and clay hills. The village is recognised from a +distance by the numerous slender palm trees, which give it a +particularly charming and picturesque appearance. It contains about 100 +inhabitants, and consists of a few ruinous houses, the mud roofs of +which are covered with grass. Between the buildings are cultivated +pieces of ground, fenced with mud walls. Here and there we met with +fragments of ancient pillars. There is also a rudely-built and +dilapidated tower, tapering upward, and provided with loopholes, which +is occasionally occupied by soldiers. To the north of the hamlet there +is another Melleha, enclosed by beautiful groups of palms, and on the +seaside by sandy hills. Not far from this a direct road leads from Der +el Belah to Gaza, but we wished to follow the main road, and +therefore crossed the hills behind Der el Belah, over green meadows, +where we saw plenty of daffodils and squills. From the top of the hills +we had a view of the luxuriant meadows of the valley, where many cows of +the small South Syrian breed were grazing, and in which we observed an +old "Sidr" tree, called El Jemeter, near which there are said to be some +ruins. On the other side we had before us the wide sea, separated from +the meadows by sand-hills only, on which is a group of trees called Em +Maharnes. + +[Illustration: NEIGHBOURHOOD OF GAZA.] + +Having reached the road, we continued to advance across the plain, where +we met with numerous tents of Tarabin Bedouins and several head of +cattle. We remained but a short time for breakfast on the open meadow +land, being anxious to get to Gaza. Soon after we came to the dry sandy +bed of the Wadi Gaza, and, climbing the low hills lying behind it, we +could see in the distance the minarets and palms of Gaza, the sight of +which cheered the last steps of our journey. The town is situated to the +right, commanded by the Mountar Hill, so called from the Sheik who is +buried there. This hill is the principal feature in the landscape. +Leaving to the left the path which we have mentioned as joining the +main road from Der el Belah, we followed the sandy path along the +telegraph posts. We then passed through fields and gardens fenced by +thorny Opuntias, and planted with almonds, figs, olives, sycamores, and +a few tamarisks, and finally reached the Quarantine Building of Gaza by +half-past two o'clock. + +Here we had to take leave of our camel-drivers; and not without regret +did I grasp the hand of honest old Daud, who had accompanied me the +whole distance from El Kantara. + +All our superfluous luggage was here disposed of, for we were now in the +Holy Land, the land of Plenty and Wealth. After a few days' rest in Gaza +we started again with our horses and mules to make for the third time +the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. + +[Illustration: ENTRANCE TO BAZAAR, GAZA.] + + +THE END. + + +_Printed by_ R. & R. CLARK, _Edinburgh_. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Caravan Route between Egypt and +Syria, by Ludwig Salvator + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CARAVAN ROUTE BETWEEN EGYPT AND SYRIA *** + +***** This file should be named 26705-8.txt or 26705-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/7/0/26705/ + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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