Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-05-03

OLD CAIRO AND THE HIDING PLACE oF THE
VIRGIN MARY.-We rode out GA donkeys one
day to old Cairo, as ID is now called. although
its original name was Fostat Here. under
the Roman rule, was a strong Roman fortress,
the walls and towers Of which vet exist, al-
though In a dilapidated state Within these
walls is now thickly settled village. through
the narrow, dark streets Of which we wended
our way to visit and old Greek church: and
truly we found a queer, musty looking place
enough. wish | could describe these
ancient remains and buildings so as TO make
them as interesting to You as to Us; but that
is impossible. No dates however far back
they may be, and no details Of architecture
however convincing as proofs Of great antiqui-
ty can every produce the impression which sc
tual sight gives; so that while we daily grow
more and more interested here, / am afraid
you will find the letters more and more pro-
sy. This old church with its patched up
walls, its broken aud disiointed pillars, its
Sculptured ornaments filed with the dust and
dirt Of centuries, what an uusightlv, unclean-
ingly looking place As It was and yet what
kind of facination about H. How il made
the present die out, and a Kind of feelng, ike
being carried back into some deserted and
worn out world, come over oae
But the church was not All we were % see,
Underneath II was a spot sacred IN the eyes
of the people of the village, who were mostly
/ Copt Christians. and In the ewes too. Of many
a relic loving, legend believing traveller. =
Lighting some candles, our guide with a very
devOut look and a continual saving of PRAYERS
conducted US down dark, damp stairway, IN
to a subteTanean apartment, where were va
rious inches In little compartments, somewhat
resembling the shrines an some Catholic
churches. In one of these was what seemed
to us, and would have seemed 10 Won, a large
wash boiler, with its cover, precisely Ike those
We have set in our houses for washing. Our
guide, after reverently kissing it, opened il.
and told us that there was where the Niryin
Mary was concealed with the infant Jesus
when they fed into this country from the.
cruelty Of Herod Near by was the lower
portion of what had besn a handsome large
stone pillar. This, we were told, was where
she used sometimes to sit when she came out
of her hiding place. How many feet have de-
voutly visited this spot, and how many knees
have piously bent in homage here. How
many indeed For, setting tradition aside. this
underground abode is, interesting. as showing
by evident marks that some ancient temple
stood here long before the mouldering church
above was built upon its ruined but strong
foundation.
SLAVES IN EYGPT.-The day after this ex-
cursion, as we were visiting the Bazaar again.
we went into some of the places where slaves
are sold. There is no general market for this
traffic as formerly, but these poor stolen crea-
lures are kept in different dens-you can call
the places which hold them by no other
| Il
with the peculiar look of that race caused
by the whole circle around the eve being
of dark blush hue. The Nubians were
much scared on their faces and foreheais, as
if from gashes, cut in their infarsy. We
were told they were generally marked in this
manner. But what idea the parent had in
doing this we could not learn. We saw none
of the Circassians or white slaves, they being
now kept in the houses OF the dealers and
only exposed TO those who would be BUYERS.
Alas, there are plenty of negro stealers here
yet am afraid, and the government hitherto
has not been backward in setting the examEe
MShammed Ali himself made many large
draughts on the black population of the inie-
Nor, and at one time conceived the design OF
forming an entire army from it, to be wholly
subservient to his own Purposes; and he was
by no means scrupulous as TO his methods OF
collecting the poor wretches from their towns
and homes. His design would have been
carried out and his example followed to the
present time, in all probability, but for one
efficient obstacle, which despotism, with all
its power, could find no possible means to
overcome. The blacks could not, or would
not live under their treatment and discipline
as soldiers, and died almost as fast as they
were brought. As this would by no means
pay, the pursuit of them, for this purpose at
least, was abandoned. These slaves were
pitiable objects enough, and We were quite
satisfied with one look at them
Indeed, almost the whole people here, As
we 60 amongst them. are pitiable Offsets
When we stop to think Of the masses around
US, Of their degradation and ignorance, their
filthy manner Of living, and disgusting habits.
and remember that they are human beings,
capable of cultivation We must believe
the idea becomes too painful 10 dwell on; and
the question comes up again and again, when
will their period of emancipation and enlight-
eminent dawn upon them.