Page:"Round the world." - Letters from Japan, China, India, and Egypt (IA roundworldletter00fogg 0).pdf/253

 foretaste of the lower regions with the fires in full blast.

The most curious thing about Aden is the series of imminnse water tanks, eleven ir number, arranged ex chelon, in a pening to the north, where the rain falling apow a wide stretch of bare rocks is caught and carried through a succession of irregu- jarshaped tanks, eutin the solid reeks. er lined with masonry. Tliese e¢ommunicate: through gates and sluiceways, and fren: the lowest one the water is condected by an un slerground aiyueduet to a large reservoir whiel is always kept full, iis che eenter. of: the town, Stone steps guardal by iron rail- ings lead up to and aromnd the tauks, exci: of which is numbered and marked with its co- pacity; the aggregate £ made to be over: ton million gailous, There is sometimes an, infervalof four or five years between the, choavers, but when it does rain it literally pours, and then the sight of these artificial” easeudes down the george and vont ene tank - fo another is said to be very beautiful. . When the Engtish took possession of Adeu they found these tanks, which are very ausieut, Nel up with rubbish. They hare spent immense sums in cicaning oul, repair: , ing and enlarging them; aud they are aw not only very enrions and interesting, bat absolutely essential ia fhe accupuation Gf the place.

From the tanks we drove through ihe ba- yuars which are very filthy and mean, with raore gew-gaws of Eurepenn manufieture | than nalive goods, The specialities of Aden are ostrich and marabout feathers, ostrich, | eges, Icopard and lion skins, which we found very chcap. The Padre’s profuseness | in expenditure for ostrich eggs and feathers * as only surpassed by his generosity in” seaitering small change among the crowd of beggars, ‘that béset us on every side. This * was pleasant enough at first, but the rumor spread that the venerable looking old patri- _ arch was a recl Crassus; and we were soon * surrounded by such wumbers asto block up__ our way, and were glad to take refuge in our. crazy vehicle and whip up our boney To- sinante. Butescape was not so easy, for a crowd followed us at fail run, and; dezpite our efforts, kept along side, hold’ out their hands ‘and ‘soreamig for backsheesh, likes ‘ pack of half-famished wolves. While I he-* Jabored the poor horse the Padre threw the ~ coin as fay as he conid on either side, which. © ay they stepped to serumble for, we at la ex seaped being devoured. Before we veache the wharf we heard the warning gun from