Page:"Round the world." - Letters from Japan, China, India, and Egypt (IA roundworldletter00fogg 0).pdf/265

 unbuckled his selmiler for me to examine. Though silver mounted and very handsome E found it exceedingly dull and cyen rusty. 'The pistols were old fashioned iint-lock: without any fintbooks ; and upon a clase examination i could see that his whole ** get up” was more for show than use. Withimy little “Smith & Wesson” and a good stout club I should have been more than a match forhim at close quarters.

This railway, like all in Mgypt, is owned by the Viceroy. Jt is smooth and well equipped, the ears und locomotives of French mianufacture. Our course for three hours was over a sandy desert, that reserubled the white alkali plains of the Elumbolt Valley. The line of the “Sweet Water Canal? could be traced fur away on our left, ita green trees and narrow strip of fertile soil, the only relief to the oye in all that barren waste. The train hulis for a moment at the edge of the desert, and as if by magic, the howling wilderness is transformed into 5 beautifully cultivated land, where every acre seems like a girden. No better evi- dence is wanted of the abjcet poverty anil degredation of the luboring elass than their miserable hovels, that look far less fit for hu- man beings to dwell in than the worst mud huts I haye seen in India,

a\t a station a few miles furiher on an amusing scene ocenrred. Near by is an en- eampinent of perhaps 2 thousand Egyptian soldiers, ‘They wear a neat, white undress uniform, ure of fair size, aud look well fed and serviceable. Their arms are breceh- loading rifles of madern pattern. The offi- vers are dressed in dark bine frock couts and red trowsers—and all, ofllcers and tweu, wear the ved fez eap. Assoon us the train stops the soldiers make a rush for the ears, and elamber over them in every directian. The officers, armed with rattans, beat them back with solid whacks, laid on with a wil. No one seems to take offense, and they run like u« floek of sheep. ‘To submit thus lo blows shows a want of manliness and spirit characteristie of the modem Egyptian, Ii would uever be sub- mitted to by the soldiers of any civilized na- tion, Iyenin India a blow from an officer would fire the blood of the lowest Sepor, and resulé either in immediate vengeanee, or by suicids of the poor fellow, whose self-re- spect would be forever Tost by such an out- rage. Leaying the “serimmage” in full blast we speed on, past. more collections of mud huts, through long stretches of meadows