Letter from Egypt.

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 4, 18 February 1916, Page 2

Letter from Egypt.

The following letter has been received from Sergt. T. H. Sissons:— Aerodrome Camp, 28th Dec. 1915 Dear Mother and Father, —Since last writing I have seen many and varied scenes, some of which will not bear writing. They were really beyond the utmost limit. However before giving a brief description of these let me continue the narrative of the latter end of our trip. Eighteen days after leaviajfc Albany we sighted the north coast of Africa near Cape Guardafur. The country was that portion known as Italian Somaliland and the tribes are mostly cannibals or at least have the honour of being called such. Passing onward into the Gulf of Aden we began to meet with many trade and mail boats. The monotony was broken by the ceaseless passing of liners and transports and hospital ships. Here and there are low coral formations on which have been constructed lighthouses and small jetties for transfering supplies, etc., from the tenders to those in charge. The lighthouses were more or less a novelty There was one light whose flame was quite blue and another blood-red On arriving at Suez, we were surprised at the size of the buildings and the shipping lying in stream. Men-of-War were to be seen in the -distance and all around us were numerous French, Dutch, Italian and Japanese boats, not to mention the scores of sailing junks. At night the scene was really brilliant. In the distance Suez was lit up brightly and the warships and liners were brilliantly illuminated. The reflections of the lights lit up the sea splendidly. The continual 'fcry of the natives is baksheesh (money) and in a most annoying whine.

The treatment meted out to the poor wretches by the native police is drastic in the extreme. They each carry a heavy green-hide whip—l believe rhinoceros hide —and they straighten them very frequently across the backs or buttockes of the native populace at the slightest provocation and not infrequently without provocation at all. Male or female is immaterial—all are fish that come to their nets. We disembarked on Sunday afternoon and entrainted for Cairo, arriving here at about midnight. The line is more or less parallel with the canal for a considerable distance. During the way we were continually passing through oases, some large and some small and at one stop the train was absolutely besieged by the black devils selling dates, oranges and cigarettes, etc. The cpinage beat many of the boys who were changing money. They reoeived half piastres when they . should have received piastres. In many cases some were taken down for 1/6 and 2/- in half a sovereign. But the boys soon got wise to that and it would be a very wide-awake nigger who could impose now. Our camp is situated on the edge of the desert and most of our drill instruction is done on the sanc|. There are two towns near our camp, Heliopolis and Cairo. Of the two, Cairo is very much the larger and more interesting. We have had a fair amount of leave and each man in the company has had ample opportunity to observe the customs of the people in their bazaars and eating houses. It is very interesting to wander down in the back alleyways and slum areas. Naturally there is a certain amount of risk attached to such wanderings but that adds spice to the adventure. One would never venture alone but always in groups of threes and fours. All sorts and conditions of and women are to be seen, and in bazaars there is sometimes a brawl otR of which it pays one to keep. Last Sunday I spent with a mate, one Corporal Small, of Wanganui a very enjoyable day out at the Pyramids. We were most fortunate in our selection of a guide, who found nothing too much trouble in the way of explanation so in all we found it —if not historically correct at least well worth listening to. The Pyramids are about eleven miles out from Cairo, and to get there we have to pass the Nile River. The trip is made in tram car (electric), and takes about 1 hour. The first Pyramid to be seen is the largest and called the Cheops Pyramid. The construction of this it is alleged took 30 years and the foundation alone 10 years. Legend (or truth from the hieroglyphics) has it that there were 100,000 slaves employed and that they were changed every three months. There was in those days a huge flood of the Nile and it extended for hundreds of miles. The populace thinking that it would overflow the whole desert built these pyramids to be burial places for the Egyptians. All the rock for the purpose of construction was brought in barges a distance of some 40 miles from the quarries. The foundation is very accurately squared as can be seen at one of the corners where it is exposed and measures 451 feet, along every edge, so that each edge is an equilateral triangle. The sphinx is a huge carving measuring some 30 or 40 feet high from shoulder to top of head. Apparently the chief amusement judging by appearences is riding on camels and donkeys, of which animals there are dozens plying for trade. The other pyiamids there are of much smaller extent and are a considerable distance away from Cheops. Two of them are named respectively Chapren and Mankara and are about the same size though and not comparable with Cheops. The tombs are interesting and could one understand hieroglyphics, one would be able to learn much of an instructive nature. Two of these tombs were inspected, the first named the Tomb of Numbers. On the walls were carved a resemblance of King Keemases and his wife. Also a representation of all the buffaloes, slaves, etc., who were engaged in the construction of the pyramids it is much more detailed by the guide than I have given, for I’ve forgotten a good deal of the details. The second tomb is called the tomb of the statues. In all there were 24 statues, six of which are now in the museum in London, 12 in the Cairo museum and six still in the tomb. Everything is wonderfully preserved considering the huge age of the work. For instance, the Cheops pyramid was constructed 3733 B.C. over 5600 years ago. A day or so ago we were out on a route march and visited the spring at which the Holy Family rested and refreshed themselves. Also a sycamore tree of great age is aear by and it is alleged that it is the identical tree under which they rested. Obviously these legends must be taken as told, but whether one puts much credence on them or not depends largely on the individual. It is strange and perhaps worthy of being mentioned that this spring is pure water whilst all around the water is more or less impure. We also visited a very old chapel in the chancel of which is a carving of the Holy Family in the purest white stone. Well Mother and Father I shall conclude now. lam in excellent health and perfectly contented with ray lot for a while, but hope that we shall soon be at work. I received a mail a day or so ago and received quite a budget of letters seven in all, much to the of some of mv mates who received T. H. SISSONS.