The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-23


November, IN which the writer paints The gorgeous
scene winch was presented on the occasion Of the
brilliant assemblage of guests who partook OF the
viceregal hospitates during The grand ball at Is
MALTA, the preparations for winch were reported by
the same pen in the HERALD yesterday. The com
muncation may with justice be termed q master
piece OF descriptive power, and viii command the
attention of the members OF the world OF fashion
and the people al large equally.
Dressed for the Egyptian vicercsaI Bali
Shore Scenes at IsniaiIia--A Guard Of Honor
md Reception by the Khedive-rhe Inter-
national ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Co.'S
tamcs-Au American Bride--Her Beauty
and Jewels-lIusc and Banqmeiina-,nr-
riages mt ssrwo in the Morning''-A Flash
from Lake TiEIsah.
CAIRO Egypt. NOV. a. 1862
My correspondence, dated IN this place yesterday
lett shore in pursuit OF lady IN while dress
and with my head iun OF the preparations Tor the
Vlceroy's grand bail
The shadows OF evening stretching out and Ismai-
Ito having been thoroughly explored it renamed for
those whose tents had not been pitched 10 go aboard
cot dinners ana prepare their bah costumes for
tne great night which had been long TAXED about
and had gwen rise to multudes OF paragraphs in
tue press OF the cNllHeu world Nuen We emerged
from the state and the light OF oil lamps into
the presence OF night decked In spen .or
the ships dressed IN Chinese lanterns and blue lights
from the mastheads TO tn, decks. Along their
shrouds and STAYS and decks the lanterns hung IN
III they appeared hike fiery pnan.asies in SPACE.
When we landed ashore lsmaliia seemed to be but
million specks OF fire. Tor whenever lantern
could be hung there haa been. Above every tent,
along the whole length broad avenues ana streets
pendant on wires, the lights flashed and cleaned
Great torches had been raised on poles bonGres
burned In every conspicuous place; certainly moth.
ing could have appeared to better advantage than
Ismaia illuminated by many hghss with so
much noise within such small compass,
deathy q silence outside OF 1t for SO large a space.
Hardest thing Of all TO conce.te think Is two or
three thousand gentle.den clothed IN call dress,
swallow tailed coats open black vests spoess pairs
oil black pants, immaculate and expansive
shirt bosoms, 1hi,e neckties, standup collars,
patent leGsner bo)ts har curled dressed,
periumed more tnan enough soberly pacing
On the broad ayeaue-avenue Euginie-nto a bali
10 he held ,hat night IN the Governors palace,
while whole troops OF Arabs in dirty gray kaltans.
well populated no doubt with vermin, which was
and Is to-day, plague N Egypt osEed and elbowea
them, when the dainiily dressed gentlemen did not
want 10 be josued or eDowed lest the snowy White
the spotless black might be rutled blurred by
sucn rough unceremonious contact And there we're
other details In the TO render IT difficult
Of conception by the stranger at distance. Along
the road on the lake side were the Arab tents,
whence issued sounds or native revelry, shouts of
native enthusiasm rising high and loud, blended
with melancholy tai, and tbrummed one-strlngcd
baDjos. tambour beating and weird shreks
of reed flies. And TO make the picture COM
pete must not be forgotten the luminous
vault OF heaven wherein Jupiter flashed and giowed
almost as brightly Northern moon where ORION
and ali the major and minor consultations beamed
If newly rekindIed TO due effect TO that great
night at lsma.iia, wherein the regeneration OF
country was to be inaugurated in the presence OF the
most powerful crowned heads aud princes, wealth
and intelects OF Europe. Indeed the emotions
which must have had place In many a breast that
night as the guests wended towards the palace must
have been maDifod-too great for uterance--,oo
varied to enu1nerate.
am not gong to describe the ball, for, If / am
not mistaken, your able Egyptian fashions
spondent has before this cnroncled the whole
with far more effect than could possibly do 1t. But
may speak In my own way OF what little saw,
which, having seen, my pen may not halt bianky
before the portals OF the palace
Wei mean the guests-had to make wide de-
tour right in order to get into the avenue and
before the palace gates, which we're banked By reg
ular Egyptian. troops at arms Once fairly out Of
the press OF sight seers, whose homogeneity was
most remarkable, we were received by the troops
with military honors and marched up long lines Of
them up 10 the front portico which was curtaned
by striped crimson arras where tall footmen, hab
tied IN gorgeous scarlet ana gold livery, stood walt
ing to receive us, and where an onlcer OF the Khe-
dives household stood TO examine our tickets. Our
overccas. hats ana sticks were taken In charge by
oosequious attendants, ana there were IN The
burned IN silver and enormous crystal Chan
deliers. Our first expression I'D we mixed In the
crowd was, "What crush OF people = and yet we
were eailv for 1t was but nine O'Clock, and the ban
would not commence until balf-past ten.
The entire front OF the building which must It be
remembered was go feet long, was divided INTO
great hall, and two large each side OF 1t.
For the convenience OF the guests there were
arranged around three Of them siken divans
wherein angels might dstain to rest, slsen and
gilt arm chairs soft ana luxurious enough for
queens, and capacious enough TO 81 the mammoth
woman Of Barnum The fourth room at the extreme
emo OF the building had been prepared Tor the BAIL
and mad an orchestra raied Off from the dancers
The great entrance hall was fitted up to the very
height OF Egyptian art and gave one an idea OF how
lavish nature Is ia these tropical climates. For la
great lengthy boxes filled with earth eacn side Of
the room grew and bloomed the various exotlcs OF
Egypt, while water snowefed upon them III plenty
from fountains cunningly concealed behind and In
stone walls. Al once were seen woven IN together
w the eAuberance or nature all the flowers and
products of Nubia and Egypt. The tuited palm,
WIN It's wldespreading featnery fronds lowered
above iotus iii flowers Idly resting their leaves and
petals on the surface OF the water; tan water reeds
shot up iuxarianty and rank among the foliage OF
young plane and cypress trees, and there were
flauu tefns and mosses Of various kinds, aloes,
SaStuses, balsams and acacias thriving goriousy In
u.hance Of al form aud arrangement, Ia Wild grace
sra a osa,y inc pure green OF which strongly con-
uasteu WIN Inc h9nt papered walls.
10 move through the crowds that surued and
s"ayeu ia al directions a most difficuit task
ana yet hall OF the guests mad not arrived In nre
scnce ~ s aii made up their minds that there would
De no uancihg out each one consoed him or herself
with the thought that ut least the banouet wonld