The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1862-02-13
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are some beggars, mostly old or de-
formed, but by no means so abundant
or impertinent as in the Italian cities
A number Of shabby policemen, in blue
] frock- coats and white pantaloons, parade
the principal thoroughfares, but never
saw their services called into requisition.
The soldiers who wear European dress
Of white cotton, are by far the most
awkward and unpicturesquc class.
Even the Fellah, whose single brown
garment hangs loose from his shoulders
to his knees, has an air Of dignity COM
pared with these Franklish carricatures.
The genuine Egyptian costume, which
bears considerable resemblance to the
Creek, and especially the Hydiote, is
simple and graceful. The colors are
dark principally brown, blue, green
and violet-relieyed by heavy silk
sash Of some gay pattern, and by the
red slippers and tarboosh. But, as in
Turkey, Pashas and Beys, and many
of the miner officers of the civil depart
ments have adopted the Frank dress,
retaining only the tarboosh-a change
which is by no means becoming to them.
went into an Egyptian barber shop
one day, to have my hair shorr,
and enjoyed the preparatory
pipe and coffee in company with two
individuals, whom | had supposed to
be French or Italians of the vulgar or
der, until tie barber coined out the
long locks on the top of their heads by
which Musslemen expect to be lifted up
into Paradise. When they had gone,
the man Informed me that one was
khalim Pasha, one Of the grandsons OF
Nohamed Ali. and the other Bey, Of
considerable notoriety. The Egyptians
certainly do not gain anything by adop-
ting q costume which, in this climate, is
neither 50 convenient nor SO agreeable
rs their own
Besides the animated. ..life Of the baxaars
which had IN opportunity of seeing in
making my outfit for the winters jour
ney. rarely went ont without witness
sing some incident or cercmony..illustra
tive Of Egyptian character and customs.
One morning encountered stately
procession, with music and banners,
accompanying venerable parsonage,
with green turban on his head and a
longswhite beard flowing over his breast
This, as kish assurdcd me, was the
Shercef of Mecca. IIe was attended by
officers in the richest Turkish and
Egyptian costumes mounted on splen-
did Arabian stccds, who were almost
hidden under their broad housings Of
green and crimson velvet, embroidered
with gold. The people on all sides, as
he passed laid their hands OH their
breasts and bowed low, which he
answered by slowly lifting his hand. II
was simple motion, but nothing could
have been more calm and majestic.
| On another occasion, meet bridal
procession, in the streets of Boulak.
Three musicians, playing on piercing
flutes, headed the march, followed by
the parents Of the bride, who surroun-
ded BY her maids, walked under Grim
son canopy. She was shrouded from
head to foot in red robe, over which
gillcd diadem was fastened around
her head. A large crowd of friends
and relatives followed closed the pro-
ccssion. close behind which another of
very, different character. The chief
actors were four boys, Of five or six
wears old, on their way to be circum
cisca. Each was mounted on hand
some horse, and wore the gala garments
Of full grown man, in which their little
bodies were entirely lost. The proud
parents marched by their sides, support
ing them, and occasionally holding. to
their lips bottles Of milk and sherbet.
One was jet black Nubian, who seemed
particularly delighted with his situation,
and grinncd on all sides as he passed
along. This procession was headed BY
. buffoon, who carried laugh with him
which opened ready passage through
the crowd. A man followed balancing
on his chin long pole crowned with a
il bunch Of flowers. He came to me 70.
backshccsh. His success brought me
two swordsmen from tho procession
i who cut ateach other with scimitars and
caught the blows on their shields. The
. cooncss, swiftness and skill with whicf
they parried the strokes was really ad
9'mirable, and the concluding flourish
was a masterpiece. One of them, strik