The World and Its People Part 58

CHAPTER Lx.x.x.

THE PORT OF EGYPT.

Alexandria has aptly been called the "doorway of Africa," for it is the port through which the continent has been entered for centuries.

Leaving Europe on a luxurious steamer, and possessing the necessary pa.s.sport, we shall find the port of Alexandria an easy step from the comforts of European life to the picturesque features of that in Africa.

As we view the city of Alexandria from the harbor, it does not present a specially imposing appearance. Built upon a level plain it offers no great attraction to the eye, unless it be a double row of windmills, which stretch to either hand. Looking either to the right or left as far as the eye can distinguish them, they may be seen diminishing in the perspective of the dim distance, and ceaselessly turning.

In strong contrast to these humble sentinels rises an imposing column, a relic of old Roman days. Still there is little to indicate the former grandeur of the famed city whose ancient glories have disappeared.

The modern city of Alexandria does not occupy the exact site of the ancient one, but in a great measure is built upon the mole, Heptastadium. This, by means of alluvial deposits, has broadened into quite an extensive neck of land between the two harbors.

The eastern harbor is called the New Port; the western is spoken of as the Old Port. All the largest steamers enter the eastern harbor; hence the stranger from a European port first steps foot upon African soil at the eastern quay.

In no way can the modern city be said to bear any resemblance to the old city; nor has there been any attempt to reproduce the grandeur of the ancient one. It has, in fact, an entirely different character. The Alexandria which endeared itself to the Greeks and Romans was a city rich in its treasures of literature and philosophy. The modern one, on the contrary, was designed for, and is devoted to, the interests of commerce.

The ancient city was founded by Alexander the Great in the year 332 B.C.

Its original situation was on the low stretch of land separating the lake Mareotis from the Mediterranean Sea.

Just in front of the city, in the Mediterranean Sea, was the island of Pharos. Upon the northeast corner of this island stood the lighthouse, famous in history, which was constructed by a noted architect at the command of Ptolemy Philadelphus.

Tradition tells us that the architect when building the lighthouse cut his own name in the stone foundations, which he covered with concrete.

He then carved the name of his royal master in the more perishable portion of the structure, trusting that as the years rolled by Old Ocean and Father Time would reveal the name of the true builder. Thus would his name become known to fame, and not only appeal to the eyes of the people, but live on in their memories.

The island of Pharos had connection with the mainland by means of the mole Heptastadium, named from its great length the "Seven Furlong" mole.

Thus the two harbors were formed.

The entire length of the original city is said to have been about four miles, while its circ.u.mference was not less than fifteen miles.

Two main streets ran straight through the ancient city. These crossed at right angles in the heart of it. The streets were well built and were adorned with colonnades throughout their entire length.

The most beautiful section of the city had a situation upon the eastern harbor; here were located the palaces of the Ptolemies, and the museum and ancient library. Here, too, stood the Soma, or Mausoleum, of Alexander the Great and of the Ptolemies, and the imposing theater of the city.

A little farther to the west was the emporium, or exchange. Rhacotis, or the Egyptian quarter, was in the western section of the city. It contained the temple of Serapis.

Just at the west of the city was the great Necropolis. To the east lay the race course. Just beyond it was the suburban district of Nicopolis.

Most of the houses in ancient Alexandria had s.p.a.ces under them. In these were built vaulted underground cisterns, which were capable of holding water enough to supply the wants of the whole city for an entire year.

From its earliest history Alexandria was the "Greek capital of Egypt."

We are told that at the time of its greatest prosperity it contained about three hundred thousand free citizens. This did not include the slaves and strangers, who must have doubled the number of the people.

The population, for the most part, consisted of Greeks, Jews, and Egyptians, with settlers, probably, from all nations of the then known world.

On the death of Alexander the Great the city became the residence of the Ptolemies. Under their reign it became the most magnificent city of antiquity except Rome and Antioch. In addition it became the center of learning and Greek literature, while its influence spread over a large portion of the Old World.

The situation of the city was most favorable for its prosperity. The connecting link, as it were, between the East and the West, it soon became the great commercial center of the world.

About 30 B.C., when the Romans took possession of it, it had reached the pinnacle of its glory. From the time of this conquest its prosperity was on the wane. Little by little the influence of the invader was felt. The removal of all works of art to Rome was the death-blow to the prosperity of which Alexandria had been so proud.

Then followed frightful ma.s.sacres, the laying in waste of the most beautiful portion of the city, the siege and pillage of the now doomed capital, and finally the increasing prosperity of its rival, the city of Constantinople.

Thus did circ.u.mstances rapidly combine to destroy Alexandria. In the fourteenth century, all that remained of its former splendor of buildings was the temple of Serapis.

Soon the strife between Christianity and heathenism arose. The final victory was gained in 389 A.D., when the only remaining seat of heathen theology was stormed by a body of Christians and speedily turned into a place of worship.

Thus ended heathenism in Alexandria. It became the great center of Christian faith and theology, and nothing marred its prosperity till it was taken by the Arabs 638 A.D.. The conquest by the Turks completed the destruction of the city 868 A.D.

True, under the Egyptian califs its prosperity revived somewhat; for, under them, it remained the chief commercial center between the east and the west.

The discovery of America, and the existence of a pa.s.sage to India by way of the Cape of Good Hope, had a most disastrous effect on the trade of Alexandria, and reduced it to very small proportions compared with that of former days.

Under the dominion of the Mamelukes the city suffered still farther reverses. The conquest of the Osmanli followed this dominion, and destroyed such little prosperity as the Arabs had succeeded in restoring. The effect of these constant changes was such, that in 1778 A.D. there were but about six thousand inhabitants in the whole city.

At the close of the eighteenth century Egypt was conquered by the French, and this had the effect of reviving the prosperity of her long suffering port.

Under Mehemit Ali, who had his home there for a portion of the year, the city prospered to such an extent that it soon attained the reputation of being one of the chief commercial cities on the Mediterranean Sea.

Through the influence of steam navigation it has, as of old, become the medium of communication between Europe and the East Indies. It is connected with Cairo by means of a ca.n.a.l which was constructed somewhere between the years 1818 and 1820. It is also connected by railway with Suez. Until quite recently, all pa.s.sengers and freight for India went by the way of Suez.

The population of Alexandria is somewhat mixed, for it consists of Arabians, Turks, Copts, Jews, Greeks, and French.

Ancient Alexandria is a.s.sociated in history with Julius Caesar, who, 48 B.C., went there to intercede in the dispute over the rightful successor to the Egyptian throne at the death of Ptolemy Auletes. According to the will of the late ruler, his daughter Cleopatra and her husband Ptolemy Dionysus should have succeeded to the throne.

In consequence of the dispute as to the rightful successor, the Alexandrian War followed. Ptolemy Dionysus was slain, and Cleopatra, after much delay, finally took possession of the throne.

The beauty and power, the extravagance and arrogance of Cleopatra have formed the subject for many a painter, the theme for many a poet and historian.

CHAPTER Lx.x.xI.

THE NILE DELTA AND THE SUEZ Ca.n.a.l.

A trip into Egypt would be incomplete without obtaining a view of the Delta of the Nile, which lies east and southeast of Alexandria.

The ancient Egyptians believed that the alluvial deposit at the mouth of their beloved river had been gained from the sea, but modern geographers believe it to have been formed by particles of earth, which in the course of ages have been deposited at the river's mouth.

The water of the Nile is usually of a deep blue color, which changes to a reddish brown during the annual overflow of its banks.

All the Nile countries, or those which border on its banks, receive a deposit of soil during the annual inundation. This deposit, which covers even the rocks, consists of earth or loam mixed more or less with sand.