CHAPTER XX.
THE CLIMATE OF EGYPT.
Prevalent winds—Influence of the configuration of the country on the climate—Desert oases the most salubrious parts of the country—Changes of temperature—Ranges of heat in winter and summer—Differences between Alexandria and Cairo—Dangers to the invalid in going up the Nile—Sudden changes at night and in the early morning—Foreign and native physicians in Egypt—Anecdote of Dr. Warren Bey.
IN Egypt, the north wind prevails as a rule from June to February, during the rest of the year the winds are southerly. The latter are of course land breezes, and, as in all countries, they are very unequal in force. The narrow strip of land which borders the Nile, hemmed in by mountains, breaks the force and changes the direction of these winds. They often rush with great violence through the passes of the hills, creating whirlwinds which raise in their course great columns of sand. They are called meresi, sometimes khamseen, and are very disagreeable at all seasons. These land breezes are also frequent in winter ; and as the mornings are seldom without clouds, sometimes dense enough to hide the sun, they are keenly felt as they sweep down the valleys. The clouds fly rapidly, even when there is no perceptible wind, and as a rule disperse by ten o'clock with the rising sun. Clear during the rest of the day, at sunset the horizon is filled with vapors, which give place to a beautiful starry night, followed by clouds again at dawn. These peculiar changes of wind and cloud have much to do in forming the winter of Egypt. There is a destructive wind which blows with violence over the desert during summer, and particularly during the spring months of March and April, called the khamseen. It is terrible in its visitation, filling the air with blasting heat and with volumes of impalpable dust from which there is no escape. It lasts from two to three days, during which time the sun is obscured, and gloom almost amounting to darkness comes over the country. The Nile, which gives existence to Egypt, materially influences its climate. Nature has so arranged that the vast deserts which border its rich land regulate it by the absorption of its vapors and of the heavy rains from the coast in the winter, before they reach the rich lands of the Delta. This is a wise provision, as the lands are dependent upon irrigation, and the rains are a calamity when they come out of season. The great basins of water created by the Suez Canal have thus far not increased the rains in the interior, though it is said they have affected the coast. Nor are the heavy fogs, so frequent in the autumn, any oftener condensed into rain. With all their immense absorption of humidity, the deserts will continue to have the same pleasantly cool temperature and healthfulness as in the days of ancient Egypt. There is no place on earth so conducive to longevity as an oasis, or Mount Sinai for example, which stands in the heart of an arid desert. Neither has the desert received any increase of rain from the planting of the immense forests for which Egypt owes so much to the beneficence of Ismail.
The maximum of heat in the shade of the Delta of Lower Egypt during the summer is 95°, in Upper Egypt 100° ; at Cairo it is sometimes 104°. In December, January, and February the temperature at its lowest is 35°, in Upper Egypt 40°, though now and then in the valley there is found a thin coating of ice. The highest temperature is felt at from one to five P.M., and the lowest two hours before sunrise. The mean temperature at Cairo is 55° F. in winter, 80° in spring, and 89° in summer and autumn. At Alexandria it is cooler in summer, but the heat is more oppressive from its humidity, and it is also warmer in winter ; but the continuous rains make the climate of Alexandria more unpleasant than that of Cairo. The thermometer rarely goes below 50° in winter, but the cold is felt more uncomfortably than when the temperature is much lower in northern latitudes. Though it is called hot 30 miles from the coast, and undoubtedly is so at times during the day, if you seek the shade suddenly the chances are that you are chilled, and sickness often follows. The nights and mornings are very cold, and those afflicted with rheumatism and pulmonary affections suffer from the sudden changes. Travellers go to Egypt in October when the Etesian is the prevailing wind, but sometimes it changes to the south, and rushing through the passes and over the deserts it brings with it cold that is felt intensely. Attracted by the country's biblical history and wonderful ruins, numbers go to Egypt on that account alone ; but many also seek there a hospitable climate. As the climate is more genial in the south than at Cairo and Alexandria, and the historic ruins are so attractive, invalids always go up the Nile. Those who can afford it and have the time to spare take the luxuriously fitted smaller boat called the diahbeeyah. There is no arrangement more perfectly devised to expose delicate people, particularly in the night and early morning, to the sudden changes of temperature. Egypt is not like Florida, where the days and nights are generally of nearly equal warmth. That which is said of the diahbeeyah applies to the steamer. The latter is preferable simply because the voyage by it is shorter, and the return to the comforts of a hotel at Cairo earlier. For pleasure-seekers who are not invalids there is no more delightful trip on earth than up the Nile. There is no day which is not filled with interest, but under the best conditions people often return with severe colds or other ailments. Acquainted with all the best southern climates in the world, I do not think there is any that is comparable with that of Florida. There are many foreign physicians in Egypt of ability and experience, and the Arabs have a number of their own educated in Europe and many trained at the medical school at Cairo. The Arab doctor (hakeem) as a rule bows to the Mahometan idea of a modicum of medicine and a large reliance upon Allah. It is rarely that Arab physicians are willing to brave public opinion and act according to their European training. A remarkable illustration of this took place a few years ago at Cairo. Kassim Pacha, then Minister of War, had an attack of strangulated hernia, and was attended by a large number of prominent Arab doctors, who permitted the malady to progress until the patient's life was in serious danger, only giving such remedies as the Pacha chose to take, and neglecting those so commonly used in extreme cases in Europe and America. They finally believed a surgical operation necessary, which in the patient's condition was almost certain death. Just at this crisis Dr. Warren, an American, who had recently come to Egypt, appeared upon the scene, whither he had been invited by General Stone. It so happened that Stone came from the Khedive, who was solicitous for his minister, at the instant that Warren had promised, if any one would administer chloroform, to afford immediate relief. The Arabs objected to both chloroform and the manipulation, declaring it would cause a collapse. The Pasha hearing Stone mention the Khedive, imagined it was the wish of his master that he should submit to the treatment of Warren, and at once consented. A French doctor present agreed to give the chloroform without being held responsible. Upon this the Arab cavalcade solemnly folded their arms and silently stole away, leaving the doctor master of the situation. A few minutes of dexterous work and the life of the Pacha was saved. This was the signal for a general “ inshallah” (thank Allah) throughout Cairo. The grateful Khedive made the doctor a Bey, and since then Tewfik has sent him a high decoration.
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