Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-01-17

| of nine feet, making the total height one hun
dred fourteen feet. Though apparently mac
| cessible, it is said that party of sailors once
scaled it with the aid OF ropes and drank O
| bowl of punch on the capital, and that ar
adventurous English lady afterward wrote
| a letter from the same spot, but how she Ell
| fected the ascent is not stated
| The present city owes its revival and prosper
| ity largely to the late Pasha. Mohammed Ali
| Comprehepding its natural advantages, he
expended great sums in rXcayating, enlsrging
and fortifyi the harbor, digging an immense
canal, and in other Judicious Improvements, SO
| that from a miserable port of a few thousand
| people, it has become fiourishing city OF
| 10000 with an extensive commerce that Is
every year increasing.
There is here a great mixture of races,
but the original Copts preserve their identity,
| and swarm in large numbers in and around the
| city. The lower classes Of them are waters,
donkey drivers, loafqrs and beggars living in
mean houses, and the cellars are broken arches
| of the ancient city. They have swarthy
| skins, straight hair and black eyes, are bright
| and lively, and always on the alert for back
| shoes.
] started on the morning of Nov. % for
| Cairo, 13l miles up the river. Soon after leav-
| ing we enter on the vast Delta so famous for
| its iuexhaustible fertility. 1t is cultivated by
| an ignorant and degraded race, living in mis-
cradle hats and but little superior to the mules,
buffalos and camels they use. At the halt way
station the railroad crosses the Nile by
splendid iron bridge, costing it is said two
millions of dollars. Nothing else of the route
is specially worth mentioning, except that as
we approach the end of it, we are excited by
an occasional view Of the Pyamids, and in
four and half hours from A, We enter the
great city of Cairo with its tecning popula-
ton, now estimated at 100000
The city of Cairo is built on a vast PLAIN,
and approaching by the railroad, we can form
no correct idea of its extent or appearance;
but seen from the citadel, which stands on
hill on the southern side, the effect is almost
magical. Thi, immense fortress, built orig
inally by Saladin 100 years ago, affords one
of the most remarkable views in the world.
From its battlements we see distinctly every
part of the city, its 800 mosques with their
beautiful domes ard minarets, its palaces.
bazaars, streets, gardens and fountains. In
one direction are the tomhs of the Caliphs,
with their graceful minarets III desoiate
valley of sand-in another, the course OF the
Nile for 80 or 40 miles-the ruins of Mem
phis-the distant Pyramids of Sakkara-an
immense Metropolis, including the tombs Of
the Mamelukes with their marble columns,
and splendid new tomb with five domes,
built by the Viceroy for himself and family
while in the distance stretches out the illinlit-
able desert The citadel itself POSSESSES great
interest. We enter it by the gate near which
the Mamelukes, the celebrated body guard of
the late Viceroy, were massacred at feast
to which lie had invited them for the very
purpose on discovering their plot to assassin.
ate him. In the centre stands large and
beautiful mosque; its lofty dome is elaborate
ly frescoed and supported by polished col
umns of alabaster, and its walls within and
without are built of the same rare and costly
material Here, too, we are taken to an I'M
foreground enclosure, and shown an unfailing
we'll of water, called Joseph's well, sunk 2S0
feet through the solid rocks.
And now let me give you few detached
sketches of personal experience in this dis
tant land. First of the climate: call to mind
the pleasantest day YOU can remember in
June. with a cloudiess sky. a warm sun and
gentle breeze, the evening calm and the night
cool and comfortable for sleeping. Such has
been the weather since the 25th of November.
and so it will continue, | am told. for months
Hundreds of men and boys, coiled ND in their
blankets, sleep through the night on the side
walks. The fruits of summer are abundant.
and fresh ,dates, oranges, figs, pomgranates.
bananas and watermelons are constantly for
sale.
we see the aristocracy and parties of pleasure
in elegant eouipages, with swift footmen in
white robes running before and shouting to
clear the wav-,he close carriages of the
wives of the Viceroy ard other magnates
with intensely black and ugly Ethiopian out
riders, guardians of the morals as well as the
safety OF the ladies under their charge-nu
merous coaches and other vehicles for hire
the large and respectable classes of mer-
chants, mechanics and tradesmen, who carry
on the great business of the city-great num-
bers OF laborers with their patient camels
bearing heavy burdens--Jewish money chang
ers, sitting at the corners Of the streets, with
piles Of coin in glass cases before them
countless young men and boys in long white
or blue robes, fec caps and turbans, bright,
good-natured and clamoroHs for jobs with
their donkeys-women with faces covered
and feet ncoyered-indescribab costumes,
idlers, pedlers, fruit sellers and water carri-
ers-this and much more makes street life in
Cairo the strangest medley that can be mag
ined.
Under the energetic rule of the Viceroy
large part cf the city is undergoing rapid
transformation. Broad avenues have been
onaupd GRADED and lpad uitl, beautiful