The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1862-02-13


accustom himself to the ways Of those
long cared cabs, without the use OF
which I would advise no one to trust
himself in the bazaars. Donkey-riding
IS universal, and no one thinks of going
beyond the Frank quarter on foot. II
he does, he must submit to be followed
by not less than six donkeys and their
drivers. a friend of mine, who was
attended by such a cavalcade for two
hours, vas obliged to yield at last, and
made no second attempt. When we
first appeared in the gateway Of our ho-
tel, equipped for an excursion, the rush
OF men and animals was SO great, that
We were forced to retreat until our SER
want and the porter whipped us path
through the yelling aud Drawing mob
After one or two trials, / found an in
tellgent Arab boy, named kish, who
Tor five nias,res day, furnished strong
and ambitious donkeys, which he KEEP
ready at the door from morning till
night. The other drivers respected
hish's privilege, and thenceforth had
no trouble. The donkeys arc so small
that my feet nearly touched the ground
but there is no end to their strength
and endurance. Their gait, whether
a pace or a gallop,is SO easy and light
that fatigue is impossible. The drivers
take great pride in having hi sh cushion
ed red saddles, and in hanging bits of
jingiing brass to the brides. They
keep their donkeys close sIorn, and
frequently beautify them by painting
them various colors. The first animal
| rode had legs barred like zebra's,
and my friends rcjoiced in purple flanks
and yellow bclioy. The driver run
behind them with stick, punching
them from time to time, or giving them
sharp pinch on tic ramp. Very few
Of them own Their donkevs, and un,
,lcrstood their pertnacity when I learn
that they frequently received a beating
on rc,urping home in the evening emp
ty handed.
The passage Of bazaars seems at first
quite as hazardous on donkey as
on foot, but it is the difference between
knocking somebody down and being
knocked down yourself, and one natural
" prefers the former alternative. There
is no use in attempting to guide the
donkey, f,r he won't be guided. The
driver shouts behind and you are dashed
4, full speed into confusion of other
donkeys, csmels, horses, carts, water
carriers and footmen. In vain you cry
out: "Bess" (enough?) "Piano ~ and
other desperate adjurations; the drivers
only reply is: Let her hang loose !.
You dodge your head under camel
load Of planks; yonr leg brushes tho
wheel Of dust cart; you strike fat
Turk plump in the back; yon mira
culously escape upsetting frnit-standt
you, scatter company OF spectral
white masked women and at last reach:
some more quiet street, with the sensa-
ton Of a man who has stormed bat
terry. At first this sort of riding made
me very nervous, but finally | let the
donkey so his own way, and tock a
curious interest in seeing how near 4
chance l ran of striking or being struck.
Sometimes there seex,cd no hope Of
avoiding violent collision, but by a
series Of the most remarkable lodges
he generally carried me through in 81
fcty. The cries Of the driver, running
behind, gave me no little amusement !;
"'rhe Howadji comes! Take care on
the right hand! take care on the left
hand Q man, take care! 0 maiden,
take care! Q boy, get out ofthe way !!
The Howadii comes.' Kish and strong
lungs, and his donkey would let nothing
pass him, and so, wherever we went,
we contributed our full share to the
universal noise and confusion.
Cairo is the cleancst Of all oriental
cities. The regulations established by
Mohammed Ali are strictly carried out.
Zach man is obliged to sweep before
his own door, and the DIRT is carried
away every morning. Besides this. the
streets are watered several times 4 day
and nearly always cool and free from
dust. The constant evaporation Of ths
water, however, is said to be injurious
to the eyes of the inhabitants, thongl
in other respects the city is healthy
! The quantity Of sore-cyea, cross-cyed
one,eyed, and totally blind e,sons on,
meets everywhere, is surprising. Their