Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 February 1917 — The Gates of Egypt [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Gates of Egypt

IT IS significant to note how, when the world is at war, history repeats itself. A trenchant example of this occurred in the threatened Invasion, of Egypt. Onee again, to the course of history, the landward gate, the Asiatic approach to the Nile valley? was about to be forced by Invaders. Once more the oldest road listened to the tramp of armed hosts and watched nations at death-grips for the mastery 'of that fertile strip of land. Through(Hit the ages, at periodical times, this same drama has been enacted. That attractive" the earliest civilizations matured — that “land of peculiar, felicity”—has been the goal of every conqueror .who has set out to win the world; it has been the desire of every merchant and the envy of all nations. In such a war as this, it would have been strange had the world’s oldest' warpath been left untrod. The road used by Assyrian, Persian,. Israelite, Greek and Roman, the desert difficulties surmounted successfully by Alexander the Great and by Napoleon were essayed by Turk and Teuton. Separating Africa from Asia, Egypt from Palestine, is the peninsula of Sinai and the desert of Et Tih. In the south it is a rugged region of sandstone era gs; north wards it shelves into a featureless limestone desert, finally melting into the lowlying sand dunes that border the Mediterranean, says Douglas Carruthers, writing in Country Life. This is the barrier that has stood throughout time, as Egypt’s eastern frontier and is so full of reminiscences. In early- days all wh<F“went down to Egypt” used this desert route. The now-deserted track was once the scene of busy traffic and great enterprise. An immense trade passed and repassed across the desert. Constant Intercourse, both political and commercial, must have been kept up between those two great centers of the then known-

.vorld, the Nile and the Euphrates. - ■ftrmtes-of the ancients i uoved“ to “ft fid fr o ftTO h g without in"convenience. The Egyptians fought in Syriaandlhe Babyloninnkingswarred •ffggfnst Egypt.” Many a migrating horde of noftiads has swept across Sinai, swarming in aimless, restless movements from Asia and Africa. Abraham and Jacob must have known it well in their frequent journeys between the Land of Goshen and Beersheba.

Once a Great World Highway. Whole volumes, indeed, could be written on the ancient history of this junction of two continents. This would not concern us, except for the fact that the conditions have altered, and aglanee back may Berve as a comparison. That this zone of country which is today stricken with barrenness, scarcely inhabited, rarely passed over and actually forming a problem__for_ an army to tackle successfully, was once the great highway of the world shows the change that must have taken place. There were not merely one or two desert tracts, but many ; reat roads running across that belt between Palestine and Egypt. Along these routes were .situated towns, reservoirs, guard stations, caravanserais and emporiums for the receipt and dispatch of merchandise. Not only was there much traffic, but the region itself was of greater fertility than it is now. Consequently, it wa s ■ com para t i vol y well populated. Where a few half-starved Bedouins wander dwelt the powerful and numerous Amalekites. The existence of many an ancient town of from 5,000 to 10,000 Inhabitants is todfty only disclosed by fallen colonnades, ruined churches and castles. In the days when the lands of Moab and Edom were flourishing districts characterized, at different periods, by fine cities, renowned temples, Persian palaces and Christian churches; when the great trunk road ran from Damascus southwards through Bosra, Jerash and JEgfißL...to AKaba, to the Mediterranean, to. Egypt and to Arabia ; in those days Sinai could have -presented no difficulties ,to..the travel*, er, it must have been a popular and much-used highway. The rise and fall of Petra, the ro-

1 mantic, rock-hewn city of the Naba- ■ teans, also indicates the varying fortunes of this country. Petra was situated at the junction of several importantroads to Egypt from the north. ! It owed its existence entirely to comi merce which passed through it. It I Was a great warehouse —an emporium —supported by a numerous shifting population. The size of the city attests its ancient wealth and importance, while its celebrity as a capital shows but directly on one of the most important lines of communication of its day. Yet, where is the glory of Petra? No ancient city has so thoroughly verified the curse passed upon it; it is forsaken by man and has become the abode of the owl and the _fox. Ruins and Sterile Sand. All the region to the south of Petra is marked with ruins which stage the great road to Akaba. Akaba itself, where Solomon established a naval base and maintained a busy port, which Egyptian, Roman and Greek struggled for and held In turn is now reduced to a group of mud houses and the remains of a fort. Gaza, on the Mediterranean side of the desert, used to be considered the key. to. the approach to Palestine. It was much in evidence in early days. Gaza had the presumption to hold out against the invincible hosts of Alexander, and actually withstood a two-months’ siege. Nowadays, the sterility of the country forbids ordinary intercourse between Egypt and Palestine. of pilgrims make organized crossings of the desert, and occasional camel dealers come this way. But the great roods have fallen Into bbllvlon. Only two recognized tracks remain in use, namely, the pilgrim route between Akaba and Suez and the coastal road which runs from Gaza, through Rafa and El Arish, to El Kantara on the Suez. The area between these roads

is a howling wilderness"; withdut reliuble water supply. —. . approaches to Egypt are of interest. Generally speaking, the northern portion of the area is open, but sandy; the central Is hard but poorly watered, while the southern is difficult rock country. The choice falls between the central and the northern. In the old days, a favorite road must have been the hard and direct route running from Akaba to Suez, across the heart of the peninsula. Even now there are serious obstacles on this road; the surface is hard, not sandy; the altitude is for the most part high, and i therefore the atmosphere is cool. Indeed. considering the proximity of the Hedjaz railway, which passes at a, distance of 60 miles from Akaba, it might be supposed that this route would be used by an invading force. The possibility of rynning a light railway from Malan or Akabatesh-Shamie to Akaba and thence a cross the peninsula is seriously affected by the fact that Akaba-is under the control of the power that commands the sea. There is also that sharp escarpment to the west of Akaba which is not easily negotiated. The coast road is the one that leads direct to Egypt, and in spite of the dunes and bad lands of that unhealthy maritime belt of swamp and sand, it was sure to be used. Gaza and Beersheba are the points at w’hieh troops could be concentrated for the venture. The old Homan roftd led from Gaza close along"the seashore to Peluslmn—now a flooded marsh. The modern track runs parallel to this, but about two to three miles inland. At Zaca, halfway to El Arish, the true desert commences, but the “going” is not troublesome until Arish is approached. At El Arish water Is procurable in considerable quantity. Napoleon considered ft sufficient to supply the needs of 20.000 men. Beyond Arish is the critical stage, waterless and sandy for G 5 miles. In fact, it is probable that from Arish onwards all wells have been rendered useless, and that Tor - HlO mihyk the. must be self-supporting- #

Thirty years ago there war only two Protestant churches of Chili. NOW there are 70, -