Wednesday, Dec. 14.——Broke camp, and started the caravan at 8.30 A.M. Now for the great desert journey! All the morning we pass peak after peak of a volcanic nature. At 2 P.M. we stopped, took a hasty bite of lunch in a sort of cave in a mountain called Elemnasir. Then on and on we go, swaying back and forth on our camels, and trying to “bone down” to the regular business before us. At 5.15 P.M. we went into camp for the night, considering it wiser not to make too long a day of the first one, as camels and men were both fresh, but to reserve our forces for the great strain toward the last. The spot chosen for our camp is a wild place under the shelter of a volcanic peak called Diakazarkha. Up goes the tent, all hands taking hold with a will. Mourgan starts a fire; now then, in the words of the “old folks’” song, “Jerusha, put the kettle on and we’ll all take tea.” Mourgan produces a marvel of a meal for such a place, and we fall to at once to do it ample justice. Our caravan consists of 19 camels and 15 men. The guide is a strong, bold fellow, thoroughly up to his business, and evidently enjoys commanding his men. The camels get only 2½ quarts of dourra a day, carry about 400 lbs. each, and are expected to go without water till we reach Murrat. Our water supply is to last us till we reach the Nile at Aboo-Hamed, as the water at Murrat is not drinkable. How brightly the stars shine out here. The stillness of the desert soon rests upon the camp, broken only by the occasional growl of a camel, and the snoring of the men.
Thursday, Dec. 15.——We are all up early, take a hasty breakfast, pull down the tent, load the camels amid a chorus of roars and growls, and start the whole caravan at 7 A.M. More volcanic peaks. The ground is everywhere covered with balls of iron from the size of a large pea to that of a cannon-ball. The iron is so pure that the natives are able to beat these balls into knives, etc. Now we see our first mirage. It is a beautiful lake, whose surface, scarcely rippled by the gentle breeze, clearly reflects a distant mountain range. The illusion is perfect. We lunch in a cave in a place called Gamoor. We have met one caravan of cattle and another of two or three hundred camels. Our guide stopped to camp about five o’clock, thinking probably that we were exhausted by this time. He looked surprised but pleased when we protested, and informed him that we intended to make forced marches of at least twelve hours every day. On and on we went into the darkness, for it is dark at five. At 7.10 we halted and pitched our camp in a portion of the desert called Nasbelhedoriah. Before we arrived in camp there was a commotion. What’s the matter? Nothing, only the cook has fallen asleep and rolled off from his camel! But the shining, round face comes up with a grin, “All right, kutter herak kattir.” We are not half way to Murrat yet, and the water in our “bootleg” bottles and skins is as black as ink. A whole week more before we reach the river!
THE CHINESE.
THE STATISTICS FOR FEBRUARY.
Figures may be dry, and yet I am sure that a summary of those contained in the February reports from our schools cannot but interest and gratify all friends of our work. No less than 116 new pupils were enrolled in our schools during that month. Change of location or other causes produced the removal from the schools of 99. But the total number enrolled, 726, is the largest total ever reached, and the average attendance, 354, is also larger than ever before. Among the pupils thus enrolled are 119 who give evidence of Christian life. The total number who have become members of our schools during the fiscal year, thus far (i.e., from Sept. 1st to Feb. 28th) is 1,375.
THE CHINESE NEW YEAR.
In the month of February occurs the Chinese New Year Festival——the great holiday period for them of the entire twelvemonth. At my request, our teachers have given me some account of the way in which it was observed by our Christian Chinese in their respective localities.