Scan & Transcript of the 1861 Letter from William James Swain (1839-1903) on the Nile River
To his cousin Richard James Todd (1835-1904).
You would read the letter above as you would a greeting card. The paper was folded so that the right hand of the first graphic was the first page of the letter. Opening the folded piece of paper would reveal what you see as the second graphic [at right above]. The graphics of the letter pages have been colorized.
Thanks go to Elliott P. Smith, a Todd descendant, for sharing this treasure with us.
On the Nile in Egypt - Africa-
January 17, 1861
Dear Cousin Richard
We have been up the Nile , that great river which floods the Country every year, 458 miles above Cairo & 600 from Alexandria. We have been to Thebes and Luxor. Were 19 days in going up on a sloop which is the only way to travel here, except on Donkeys & Camels.
We have seen the ruins of temples, palaces and underground cemeteries, such as far surpass all modern works in extent and in the size of the blocks of stone in their walls and columns. Besides, every inch of every stone you see is covered with figures of birds, animals, snakes, people boats chariots, furniture, dresses, arms and representations of battles and the various trades of the time, all cut deeply into the stone and forming a history of the period, its conquests and the customs of the people of the country at and before the time of Moses. Many of these are colored, (all in the tombs are) and the ceilings are blued with stars etc. The colours are bright and perfect. The ruins at Thebes are the finest in the world.
These ruins prove that a mighty and knowing race, wealthy beyond example, lived here and had cities at every few miles distant. All this shows to what a great nation may come, at last.
The Nile is bordered with the richest land, needing no manure as this is done by the overflow of the river every year. There are no fences & no roofs to the mud huts. It never rains and is never colder than the end of our May. The women are a curiosity, their faces covered with a veil and their legs bare. The great gossiping place for them is the river bank where they congregate with their big stone jars to dip up water and carry it home on their heads. They live in a mixture of dirt fleas and other worse insects. Their fuel is dried camel dung and cornshocks, their food, beans, coarse bread and garlic mixed all up together and stewed in a pot. All sit around and scoop it up with their fingers & eat it. Everybody drinks coffee & smokes. They are very civil & kind. The men have from 3 to 12 wives each. The women carry their young astraddle on one shoulder. I think it is a great deal handier than our mode.
We have plenty of milk, butter & eggs and live first rate, but bothered a great deal with fleas and their unmentionable little animals.
You would laugh to see me putting a new seat in my pants. I burst the boiler entirely and my primitive garment was given to the breeze making a stern flag of truce. There are no tailor shops here & no pieces of cloth. In this emergency I cut out a piece of the lining of my new overcoat and I suppose it would have been quite amusing to anybody to have seen me crosslegged, tailor fashion, on the bed sewing and stitching away & the sweat rolling off.
I assure you it was a job , there being a considerable size circle to circumnavigate.
Our next move will be to Italy, from there to Paris, where I intend staying some time. After which I will go to Turkey, Greece, Norway, Sweeden etc. etc.
I wrote a letter to Frank Silver some time ago. Has he received it?
Give my love to all my cousins, Grandmother & everybody. Hoping you will write to me soon I remain your affectionate Cousin.
I also wrote a letter to Grandmother.
Wm J. Swain
Care of Van den Broek Bros.& Co.
No 60 Rue de la Chansee D'Antin
Paris France
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