New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-07-12

throush his veraant Kingdom whose boundaries he him
it. fhe Ne bnsef2Egypto as the anecnts called it
for should the river ever chance 70 UAs n peu o
The top the Pyramids Is the place to appreciate the
author OF orentaes WIT ae hdH I y4 .i.S.
fT SarTeou plains her Of sunny maize"
Mains liftnT their crowned heads over feah villages,
wave ioyousy the wind Cairo is visible In the dls
Setween the dark groves OF ChOobra and the metropolis
of the Caiphs; while its white citadel cleaning on me
edge Of ne hor7gn in'erSec'S the soden Vi
' tho Pyfsmd OF Cephren whose top is sim covered
win its granite casing looms up against the southern
sky and that also of Mycerinus, built It is said by me
s9Sarrah mark the former site of Memphis sangea and
melancholy spectaclel Whittier have vanished lne
temples the monuments, the powerful dynasties the
kings the GODS who once filed this desert with NE
what have inherited Of all the spendor ana CORY vi
the past name that floats in vague uncertainty o'er
OF far less interest is the visit TO the interior OF the
d1cted by torch-ght through narrow passages rising
and dipping alternately at very sharp anse o n 50
The walls of smooth granite. and they ieSd TO tI9
over the other There absolutely nothing TO be seen
In either OF these rooms, except the loH """'' ""
are OF beautifully polished red granite
As the strange vOyagers pass the little villages on
the Nile their appearance creates wild connection
among the inhabitants; the men start up as II MAD
the women hide their faces In their walls; the dogs
bark and the children scamper away at tull speed'
shouting "backsheesh" to the foreign Croesuses' NJ
Laporte's pictures of the native life are suggestive
but not flattering. The huts in which the tellahs
live are built of Nile mud mixed with straw Inc
roof is ragged mat. There is no furniture except
perhaps an earthen Jug or an empty basket Inc mover
opens by door OF rather hole that takes the place
of a door, into little yard in front, where the
sheen goats pigs fowls and other domestic animals
herd together in promiscuous confusion In the one
room within, the whole family spend Their time lol-
ling about on a thick mattress of dust rolling,
wallowing, laughing and talking eating and drink
ing. and 10y the mercy Of God, living and growing"
Still they exhibit remarkable example of human
good looks to which, it seems, lack of civilized
culture is necessarily fatal.
Large in stature and remarkable for his statuesque
beauty the appearance OF the felah Is very sfklns
He has the true oval head peculiar 70 the Arab type;
brilliant eyes, santing up towards the outer anglesi
superb teeth weliormed aquline nose, with the nos
trls large and open like those Of the negro small cum
HIS complexion varies with the region Of his abode,
being darker toward the south. In the Delta lac is Of
Ills cotton shirt the only garment he INDUCES in;
but falling in graceful folds about his me ng4ie he
| wears it with less dignity than if it were Roman
toga His shaved head is covered either with the turoah
Degraded by Slavery and his constant practice of TAX
ing aims the eah can scarcely be regarded as respOh
sibe moral being INDECENT ana baIs a me engl
There is but one thing that he cares f0repose ne mas
but occupation, heggary. Every ielah is Deggdr'
Bucksheesh is the first word they teach their children
These little savages run about completely naked untl
the age Of puberty their only ornament long lock OF
hair waving Enthusiastically on the top OF their shaved
heads In their early years they are lively aud inte-
GENT but too soon they learn ther la'her uaue''o
| submit to blows and solicit aims. ~
The blue chemise Of the fellahines falling from me
shoulders TO little above the ankle aud open at the
breast decidedly picturesque The val which they
wear is also blue; It Is thrown over tne heau ana Ia
hide their faces they catch hold of this uterng blue
iect The feahnes are sometmes tattooed upon fore
head and chin, and they dye their nails with henna
are generally ugly, and, thanks to their too early
marriages ana edce syS6 G %If s hSye
sometimes seen great beauty among tlen'
that YOU feel as if YOU looking at one Of the old
| sculptures of AthOs or Of Isis awakened to life.
must see her retTnng from the river with Jug of
upon her head Her bare arms bent back to hold her BUR-
ana falling in folds, straight and clinging-
she walks proudly forward with slow and measured
precision is grave, serene and harmonious and in her
grand and simple poses she enudtes the DasketDearefs
| of the sacred professions.
In striking contrast with the preceding scenes is
the following description of Egyptian luxury in
other class of society, giving a favorable specimen
of the power of wOrd-painting which the author
possesses in a remarkable degree:
On sunday the 5,h of March, we landed at the port of
consular agent started at for the city, which is half
league from the Nile There Is no twilight IN Egypt;
II grows dark immediately AFTER sunset; SO tnat ts
night expedition over heavy sandy road was Tar from
being agreeable. We took Mlcael with us as GUIDE
aud two sailors, armed with good substantial walking
sticks and dragged along well as we
could, running up against paln-trees and swallowing
on reaching the town. we found the streets silent and
deserted. The people had already shut themselves up IN
their brick houses and to be except
few stTaggers squang Oh the doOrsteps, or leaning
i've barebreasted soldiers seated al the door OF
mosque, under large tree our guides led us through
| peaTance, embehshed with glded coatof-arms.
Our entrance seemed 10 make quite sensation. Some
| III
staelyOOking old gentlemen, with venerable boards;
and cavases, with painted eyes and terrible mus
tachos,-started up and falling into position saluted us
Soon secretary came forward and opening side door
conducted to host, distinguished Copt, the con
sular agent of France, and Yealtest merchant IN the
city. We found him dressed with great elegance and
seated upon a sllken dlvan, IN a small but hahd-
| some room, lighted by two Pickering lamps sus-
| pended by chains from the vaulted ceiling. The
thin, with high, bald forehead, a long, hooked
nose integeut eye and smile that might almost be
called sarcastic HIS expression was dghlneu; anu ne
had certain look Of severity, which was perhaps
ters and greeting us with the usual compliments, he
clapped his hands in the Oriental style, and gave rapid
in cOmmoon, slaves hurried to and fro and formed
a sort Of torchlght procession. "
Followed by his people, the consul conducted us
! court and, ascending stairway with seulptured
saloon furnished with ntalluxury. Smyrna carpets
Damascus hangngs, covered with lnterInnable ara
besqucs of the richest cOlors large and low uxu
TiOus divans, lined with heavy, rustlng SATIN chande
ers Of bizarre shape and curiOusly carved furniture
inviting inspection Before we had grown weary OF
admTng all these line and curious objects, some pipe
bearers came in bringing ehibouks eight feet long, each
slave presenting 10 some member OF the party
Ealfbended knee Nothing could have been more costly
than these ohbouks they wrapped in tissue OF
gold and silver; the ambermouth pieces enOrmOus
and the riehy-glded bowls burning the finest Levant
tobacco mingled with Arabian perfumes rested upon the
floor upon small copper plates. The wellkinded
fire was already glowingi and as we began
smoking luxuTiOusly and the Light blush wreaths
hOated up 10 the ceiling, the room peryaded
with a strong OdOr of sanda-wOOd. Meanwhile, some
esqueOOng black slaves dressed in White tunics
passed around plates OF bOnDOns, queurs, and Arabian
pastry. Two old Arabian women weird and haggard,
aIup n Vps
clans tuned up their Instruments, and the GhaZeeyah