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1046 &t)e Ueaft*** [Saturday ,
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i»—vivian at the bloomer ball. For a fia...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Meily's Ki1autoum And The Nil.Ks. Kharto...
of partridges , then stop , and allow me a good aim at them . All camels , however , stand fire . " After longer experience he writes : — " All my interest about these animals is lessening fast . It ; is impossible to imagine how provoking they can make themselves , and did contrive to make themselves , day after day . Some would run away—some , by way of contrast , not only would not run , they would not move . Some were always lying down — some could not be persuaded to kneel : but mine beat all the rest in camel-like amiability . On an average he howled six hours a day , a kind of music such as no one can conceive who has not heard it . He would stand doggedly still , till forced by blows to lie down ; and every time I turned round , he howled fiercer than ever . "
The lover of Natural History will regret that Mr . Melly should not have devoted more space to the record of his observations in that department , for which the opportunities were great . He keeps his eye open , however , and incidentally mentions many little facts : — •' It is curious to observe the prevalence of the sandy colour of the soil in the creatures that have to exist upon it . Sand y coloured eagles devour sandy coloured vipers and lizards , which in their turn prey on grasshoppers and slugs of the same complexion : and partridges and sparrows , by means of their resemblance to the ground , avoid the prying eyes of the falcons and hawks . "
He did not see much of the Hippopotamus , but informs us that many hundred natives are on the look out for that elegant and fascinating animal , the British Consul having offered a reward of £ 1000 for iwo . The Arabs , not urged by scientific curiosity , and having no Zoological Gardens , regard the Hippo with other feelings than those which animate the British breast ; for these beasts are numerous and destructive , not so much by
eating as by trampling down whole fields of corn and beans . When Night descends , they emerge from the river and roll their unwieldly bodies in the fields , making a peculiar noise all the while . But the Arabs , though they know the sound and hate the beast , take no active measures to rid themselves of it , " probably because it is Allah ' s will , and partly , also , from their aversion to going out in the dark . "
" The inhabitants of an island , a short distance below Berber , applied , while we were at Khartoum , for troops to drive away these midnight revellers , and a hundred soldiers were despatched hippopotamihunting . Troops are made all sorts of uses of in the East ; a battalion of infantry was sent boar-hunting in the Delta last year , owing to the great devastation committed by these animals who were rooting up acres of cotton . I think this sporting must be more amusing than the frontier work against the Shellouk tribes , north , of Kordofan . "
Who does not remember that story in Herodotus of Croesus , King of Lydia , to whom the people come imploring aid because " a great thing of a boar , " as Herodotus in his naive style calls it—( tvoc ; xp 1 l xcc p « y<»—* ravaging their country , and Craisus forthwitli equips a troop of horsemen to despatch the monster . The passage just quoted calls it to mind . Indeed , as Mr . Melly remarks , it is impossible to traverse those countries without being everywhere delighted by coining upon some living commentary on ancient writers . But what reflections this fact suggests as to the slowness of Progress ! But we must not indulge reflections ; rather let us accompany our author to Khartoum : —•
" Khartoum , hccii from the river , is a long mud wall , with ( several houses just peering above it , among which the most conspicuous is the residence of the Governor , with its offices , the old ( Government House , and the . Catholic Chapel and Minion . We proceeded to the ( Governor ' s offices , through a large open ground , in which two companies of troops , the ; bout dressed and accoutred of any 1 have . seen hince J left Europe , were changing guard , each company led by a Holdior with a bedstead on his bayonet . He being the oflicer , and the only one ; allowed such a luxury , the rest always . sleeping on the ground . We next arrived at u court in which were several brass pieces , then entered a . largo room lilted up with TuiIuhIi ( livuiiB "' id European chairs . Tins was
' * J ) ivun . " " At one < nd sat litiliflc Pacha , ( General in the Army , Admiral of the Elect , nnd ( Governor of the Soudan , from Phike to the furthest possessions of the Pacha of Egypt . He- looks like u man capable of being all thin and more , an be possesses a fine figure , a good face net off with a remarkably fair complexion , and a beautifully trimmed mustache and beard U 8 black an jet . These advantages were anc-isled by thu hiinduoincHt Asiatic dress 1 have Been—u suit ol dark blue cloth , richly embroidered , red und gold
tunic waistcoat , and full sleeves of pink silk and gold , silk stockings , a magnificent scarf round his waist , tarboosh , diamond star , and several gold chains . " On his right hand sat Ali Bey Hassib , the Governor of Berber , and a few other grandees sat near him , in full costume . ?• His reception of us was very courteous : for a few minutes he spoke to the G overnor of Berber ; he then gave his entire attention to us , reading out firman , passport , and letters of introduction . The conversation was in Italian , of which he possess a limited knowledge ; ' we had , however , been told that he was
also familiar with English and French . We inquired where it would be agreeable to him that we should pitch our tents ; he answered by presenting us with a capital house . On asking where we could find a boat , he replied that his own would be ready for us in three days . On mentioning camels , he promised to have thirty ready to meet us at Berber . At a hint respecting the forwarding of our letters , he volunteered to send them by a special messenger from station to station on swift dromedaries to Assouan , whence men would run with them on foot to Cairo , and then they would proceed in the usual course . In short , he promised everything we wanted , gave us coffee and pipes , and then we took our leave . "
The civility and attention they met with seem to have been unusual . Visits and presents followed fast : — " Another visitor followed Monsieur R ; then came a basket of parsley , lettuce , radishes , pomegranates , lemons , and sugar-canes from the apothecary ; and , finally , the Pacha ' s head man , with a small quantity of milk , and many apologies for the cows not beiDg more productive . " The next morning was passed in paying visits to our obliging friends . We first walked through a garden of vines , oranges , pomegranates , and jessamine trees , to the house of the apothecary ; in an anteroom we met the doctor and one of the ministers of
the Catholic Church . We then entered a large divannetl room , hung with Napoleon pictures , with its curtained windows looking particularly cool and comfortable . We sat round in solemn conclave , our friends in full Turkish costume , while lemonade gezeuse , coffee , and pipes were handed round , conversing of the climate , the rate of mortality , diseases , and other lively matters too numerous to mention . I ascertained that there is a great mortality in children from three to seventeen years . If they survive that age , they live to their appointed time ; but at thirtyfive they look shrivelled and old ; notwithstanding which , however , they manage to exist till eighty or iiinetv , and further south to a hundred .
* ' We next cnlled on Monsieur Jt , in whose yard we saw < i young giraffe , about nine or ten feet high , and quite tame ; and nn antelope as large as a donkey , with two horns at least a yard long . Our friend had the best garden in Kluutonm , with trelliscovered walks , made of vines , which bear throughout the year . We were received in a large room , with the usual devoirs , and found Monsieur It—— transacting busincsss with several native merchants , in their white robes , turbans , and scarfs . Afterwards came in a very intelligent Turk , handsomely drei-sed , and wearing a diamond star round his neck , who spoke Erench fluently , Like JLatilfb Paclia , and many others here , be is in honourable banishment , deprived of the society of his wives and family . "
Of ' course their appearance excited great speculation : — " They am a little puzzled when they speculate upon what , brought us to their remote corner of the world ; and to add to their mystilieation , they cannot , for certain reasons , avoid regarding us with n considerable amount of respect , mingled with a slight addition of awe . The fact is , it has got abroad that our finnan continued denunciations unusually htriugent against , all and sundry , who wanted to eat dirt by exhibiting the slightest degree of neglect or reinis . snos . s in looking after our safety , comfort , and j ) lea , sure . Every one argues that such commands from such a source mean something , and tho upshot i « , that we wore : immediately set down as illustrious strangers of a most illustrious generation .
" Long before our arrival , rumours vvero in circulation respecting um that increased in extravagance every hour . Among other veracious statements , it was aflirmed tljut a gentleman , with his haieein , was known to be on the road , who was a l ' acha with three tail- ' ; that , he wus adorned with three diamond st . ir . s on each hi east , and neck , and jnodigiou . s gnl < l cpnulctt . es on each shoulder . One of our friend * , who knew something of us , was n . skcd if the great man
about , to visit them really was greater tban ^ uiy l ' acha of their acquaintance . Our friend net , the matter at re . st , by assuring his eager questior . cr that , all Piic . bns wen ; as nothing to the least , of us , for they were obliged to do the bidding of their master but that we were our own mantelh , and did exactly as we pleased . There wan a fcrvant exclamation respecting the goodness of Allah , and the querist walked away , aaan Iribhimui would phruuo it ' bothered entirely . "
1046 &T)E Ueaft*** [Saturday ,
1046 & t ) e Ueaft *** [ Saturday ,
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I»—Vivian At The Bloomer Ball. For A Fia...
i »—vivian at the bloomer ball . For a fiasco complete , extravagant , unredeemed and unredeemable for the perfect frustration of all expectations , the Bloomer Ball given on Wednesday at the Hanover-rooms , transcends all my experience . Palmam qui meruit ferat j let merit carry off the palm , and the greatest of failur es sinks abashed before this ! The amount of excited curiosity may be estimated by the fact , that quite early in the evening the rooms were crowded with notabilities . Mixed up with a nameless fashionable mob , there were a German Duke , one of the
Editors of a great morning journal , a Parliamentary Poet , the " handsomest man in Europe " an old beau of the peerage , a famous but fading baronet , Punch , several artists , certain peers many blackguards , and such a tohu bohu as Kossuth himself could not gather together . But no women ! What came the crowd to see ? A Bloomer shaken in the waltz ! Fifty Bloomers , a hundred Bloomers , —women young , daring , pleasure-loving , radient in new and piquant costumes , saucy with the insolence of fascination , delirious with excitement , civilized Menads , not irreproach - able in morals . That is what the crowd came to
see , thinking that the lights , the music , the hum of voices , the bright glances of eyes flashing up from their languor , and the very air infected with gaiety , would form a fitting accompaniment to the New Costume , which , was henceforth to invest the person . of the " emancipated mind . " That and nothing else . What did they see ? A few , very few women of that class which it makes the heart ache to think of , in finery as poor and faded as their own unhappy lives !
How shall I describe my disappointment ? At an hour when the bed candle is usually admitted , I closed one of the wisest books that was ever written , and left that study where the good and great keep serene empire , to dress myself for this Bloomer Ball , of which I had heard so much . What visions of lovely women lured me forth ! what Syren voices called to me from the deeps ! what made me anxious to bo there , I am ashamed to think of ! Enough , I went . A mob had collected in Hanover-square ; and through this yelling mob , intolerant of innovation , loving a riot , and not fastidious in the selection of language , the cab made
difficult way . Many Bloomers were discouraged , and turned back frightened . If it required some courage to adopt the costume , it required heroism to run the gauntlet of that inob ' s derision , which might at any moment end in violence . Many , therefore , tinned back . When I entered the room there were not a dozen Bloomers present ; and such Bloomers !—ye Cods , such Guys ! Two or three " emancipated minds , " with persons endowed , I am willing to believe , with great " beauty of intellect , " but otherwise not prepossessing—these evidently the Priestesses of the New Creed—walked about , hard and triumphant . The others were ol that elass which no man can think of seriously
without ineffable sadness , and of them this pen shall write no word approaching to ridicule . These do / . en women were scattered throug h the rooms crowded with men , who jeered , leered , and cheered them as they danced . " 1 told you ot the mob outside . The mob inside was as brutal , only better dressed , and wearing nioustachios for tinmost part . Had the Bloomers been Monkeys exhibiting for money , the men would have behave ! more politely ! It was no doubt a painfully grotesque sight , Unit of the Bloomer Quadrille : wouiei ial !»
aged in their youth , with a look at once «< an bold , dressed like the actresses of a strolling co " j pany , intensely conscious of being looked at , « 11 dancing with loose legged cavaliers , I "" ' Heaven knows where—a sight mu-li : > s 1 shall n - ^ forget , so painful , so absurd , no hideous , this was a Hall ! 'If Bloomerisin is not " iXevly . { discredited and extinguished by tins , 1 hIiiih ama / . ed . Who could lor a moment compai - costume there worn with that of an ordnmiy j dress ? No one but a child or a bmnp k .,. v thinks the actrcscs at a Fair are « rnd . ent foiins
light . " . () f About one o ' clock theie came , an '" : ( : (' """! ,., Bloomers , a bevy of ( inuls , somewhat bel . tei « i - ^ but the Bartholomew Fair stamp mellaceal )"' lH > Ah the ; men seemed to get more and moie . . ( . (;( , 1 thought it time to depart , and I < li < I ho , <¦<» ( hat that BloomoriKiu was quashed . I r """ " \ ij , no u Lady Correspondent from Drcaden had uw *
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 1, 1851, page 18, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_01111851/page/18/
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