New-York tribune., 1874-04-25
hills of the Desert tho whole scene is painfully in
alp taha ur1

hills of the Desert tho whole is painfully in
congruous-amost absurd
Some of the mower blocks have spacious arcades,
like Turin or Bologna,-an arrangement admirably
adapted to the climate, and certainly better than
the covered bazars of tho old city. do not know
how far this feature is to he applied, for there are
vast spaces where you see only demolition ana not
reconstruction. The new streets beyond the great
square lined with private dwellings and gardens
and will be well shaded in the course of time. An
adequate supply OF water is the irst necessity lhls
can easily be obtained by an aqueduct tapping the
Nile twenty OF thirty miles above Cairo At present,
most of the inhabitants must buy their supply and
saw the poor people, yesterday, filling their jars
from the dirty puddes In the street. -Four or five
Government fountains send up spray which is de-
ghtful to behold, but that is luxury, and not to
be used by the public.
Leaving out of sight the Romantic-that which
appeals to established sentiment TO old assoca-
tions to passion for the picturesque i'll form and
coor--what is the effect of growth which is not
even graft on the old stock, but q foreign plant,
artifcially las il seems nourished, and chiefly by
single personal will | am hardly able to answer
the question, as yet To do so justly, requires
better knowledge of the ideas and feelings of the
native Carenes than have yet acquired. They
seem unchanged: if there is more natural patience
WIFI tlS ncW tiontut MhiCu pdiViS Oouhoio 'ANh",
fratenal tolerance release from old traditions
and superstitions it is hardly manifested i'll posi-
tive form. found them formerly, as now, friendly,
social transparent in their cunning, easily checked
and controlled harsh masters and patient servants
The Frank, of course, is secure against active dis
courtesy, and the prejudice from which 1t might
spring is probably slowly wearing away.
1t is difficult to dsentangle the imaginary and the
real in ones memory Perhaps if the Old Cairo
which knew were now suddenly restored ] should
like it less than what find. railway from Alex
andra: a bridge over the Nile; "a carriage road to
the Pyramids and HeliopOls; telegraph, daily
paper, an opera, Christian Churches,-these are
changes not TO be rejected or undervalued. No
doubt also, when the work of pulling down and re-
building-which is always hideous-shal have been
completed, the result will be far more satisfactory
than the present stage of transition j am amazed
at the growth of Cairo yet cannot fully enjoy its
character.
As if to make the change more emphatic, the win
try weather we tried TO escape by leaving Italy has
followed us even here. After sharp north wind on
Tuesday, Wednesday came in cloud and a chilly
rain thermometer at A. which lasted all day, and
obliged us, since tire-places are unknown to SIT in
cloaks and go TO bed early in order to keep warm.
The Mooskee was knee deep inmud this morning, and
the streets of Boulai were a succession of pools.
March is usually the most delightful month of the
year in Egypt but now, when ConstantnOple is
showed up and people freeze TO death on Chios we
must needs shyer on the banks of the Nile. How
far the present unusual amount of rain here attrD-
utable to the opening of the Suez Canal, the in
creased area of agriculture and the planting of trees
in the Delta is a question which it would be prema-
ture TO discuss. One can hardly draw conclusions
on a less basis than the average of ten years.
| The expense of living, in Alexandria and Cairo,
has increased about 80 per cent since 1882 but the
expense of voyage up the Nile is from two to three
| times as much as then. A large ddhdbeeyeh then
| costing $50 per month, now commands S75O-whch,
! considering that the value Of the boat is about
! $500 is enormously exorbitant. Luxurious trav-
ceIs are chiefly to blame for this state Of things,
and imagine that the Stars and Stripes cover quite
! as much reckless OstentatiOn any other flag The
steamers take parties of 20 80 at III apiece to tho
First Cataract and back in three weeks These par
ties generally in state of violent contention,
even i'm one case, this Winter with pending duels,
| which is rather dismal view of human nature to
one who has seen Abydus and KaTnak.
I have given you only my first rapid impressions,
reserving the right to change them as further eXpe-
rience may require. l do not and cannot believe
that development is loss-certainly not where it
strikes deep roots into the nature of andfeeds
II with new sustenance. But the Orientals draw
comfort and strength from other sources than we do
and one must learn what thoughts are hidden under
their grave faces before deciding finally how they
are affected by the grand movements of our age.
B. T.