The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-08-03


had often met Amer lean 7aobZenaeao,
princes of the American blood Royal
but we had no use for them. We had no
airs to assume nor did we wish to associate
with those who had. Messrs. o. F. Wood
Of Syracuse and J. G. Gauntlet of Ithica,
of New York, were men after our own
heart
On comparing notes, it was found that
we were all signing after the flesh pots
of Egypt, and after due elaboration, we
came to the conclusion that, though it was
little out Of the proper season, we would
sail for that famous country at once. The
bugbears had always been a little
ahead of us,-we were told that the heat
of Rome and Naples at this season would
be insupportable, but we had experience
ed none but the most comfortable of
weather during our four weeks spent in
Italy. We expected to find a greater de-
gree of heat in Egypt, but as Seward and
his party had but Just left, we thought
we ought to endure what they could. 1t
might be the only opportunity in our life,
and our decision was made Next was to
secure our outfit. We went first to the
British Foreign Bible Society's Deposito-
ry, and invested sixteen soldi, for gilt
edged testament, then to another place
and invested something more for pocket
edition of Naples revolver, and thus
armed with the implements of life and
death, we went on board the Italian mail
steamer Asia, one day at ~ o'clock, p.
m, local time,-about the hour when
Kenosha people ought to be at breakfast.
and sailed for Alexandria. AS we passed
out of the harbor on our route to the
Mediterranean, the city, the castle on the
heights 1000 feet about the city, the sur
rounding hills, mountains, plain and Mt
VeSuVius, presented a scene so beautiful
and picturesque as not easily to be for
gotten.
At daylight on the following morning
we passed Stromboli, volcano 1000 feet
high on one of the Lipari Islands, and one
always active and before noon run into
the hal Dor of Messina, on the Island of
Sicily. A short distance before reaching
Messina, we pass between the famous and
dangerous rocks of Scylla and Charyb dis,
so celebrated in Latin history, but upon
approaching them, they dwindle into in
significance. Scylla is low, sandy cape, a
mile in length, and Charybdis, something
over mile east is a low, mountainous
point, of sand, rock, clay &C., like the
coast for many miles. The current be-
tween the two points is quite turbulent
and foaming, but terminates very abrupt
ly. During strong breeze, sail vessel
would have occasion to be on her guard,
but steamer passes through without diff
fculty. We made stop of but two
hours at Messina, and five days and $24
brought US to Alexandria, passing on the
way the island of Gambia in the distance
The weather was fine and slight touch
only, was all we experienced of an old
malady. We feel encouraged. We had
all spent about four weeks in Italy, and
after an animated debate, it was unani-
mously decided that it would be privi-
lege to invest few dimes to sit down to
square Yankee n1e0J We have eaten of
many dishes for which we knew no name,
and many we have let alone, but at last
we have come out strong,-we could not
we'll do otherwise, for the cheese was
strong which we ate. One dish which
we often had was called critic misto,"
which the boys facetiously called "fried
mysteries.
The coast of Egypt is very low, and as
we approach it from the sea, the white
houses of the city are seen looming up be-
fore any land is seen. We anchor in the
harbor, and Immediately swarms of boat
men are on board the steamer, clamoring
like New York hackmen. Our boat
man agreed to take the party of three on
shore for one franc, but true to the
honor (?) of that class, demanded three
francs when we arrived at the dock, in
which he was disappointed We passed
through the custom house and passport
Office without difficulty, and soon found
ourselves at comfortable hotel, which
proved to be better than any we had pat
ronlzed in Italy for month.
The city presented novel sight to us,
of course. The buildings did not differ
materially from those of an italian city
that is, the business and better portions
of the city, but the dwellings ofthe lower
class are squalid in the extreme. The
red fez, or Turkish cap, is the glory Of.
Egypt. The citizens all wear it, and a
large portion Of the foreigners. We hear
more English spoken than in any Italian
cities English, French and italian mer
chants do great part of the trading, and
ladies are seen in the streets dressed in
the latest Partisan style, and shops offer
for sale all that can be found in European
cities The turbans and dress of the
Arabs are best described by the pictures
in biographies, and Sunday school books.
The natives consist of Egyptians, and ar
dark complexioned, the Arabs, who are
still darker, and the negroes, as black as
midnight, all wearing the fez or turban.
The native women cover the lower part
Of their faces when in the streets, this
practice is prevalent but not universal
The charms Of those whose faces we have