St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-05-07
Letter from Egypt.

Edjtor Of the CdledOnidn Il have
thought of writing you many letters
since | left YOU that cold january morn
lug, but this warm April afternoon in
Egypt witnesses my first effort i'll this
direction. The ice-bound harbor of
New York the rough ten days voyage
on the Atlantic: wet London; cold
Paris rainy Nice, with the warm wei
come OF kindred there: Florence with
its snow storm and attractive galleries !;
Rome with its antiquities. lis churches,
its museums of art, and my pleasant
meeting with Mr.. and Mrs. A. +. Ran
kin of st. JohnSbury Naples with its
excursions To Mt. Nesuvius. into whose
crater | looked. to liercultneum aud
these places and objects of interest have
received my attention and are treasured
in my memory.
About ten days ago we landed III
Alexandria, the great port of Egypt. n
city founded twenty-five hundred Years
ago by Alexander the Great. None OF
its former glory now remains. and it
contains hut little to interest the trav-
eler, compared with this city.
Cairo is the capital of Egypt, and the
present khedive. or Niceroy, is trans
forming 1t rapidly into European city.
The khedive is very progressive in
spirit and European in his tastes. His
chief army officers are Americans, which
accounts for his interest i'll General
Sherman and his recently married
daughter. whose diamonds the whole
world has heard about. The Cairo upon
which we look ont from our windows at
the Grand New Hotel. is city Of new
broad, paved streets, lined with trees.
aud faced with imposing buildings. The
old. narrow, gloomy lanes. lined with
bazaars and crowded with donkeys are
still very numerous. and full of interest
to the traveller. but their doom is sealed.
their glory is departing. Five years
have wrought great changes here ten
wears have Witnessed a vet greater
transformation. Railroad trains run up
the Nile valley to Sioot. three hundred
and twenty miles above Alexandria.
Public gardens. new palaces. opera
houses and other fine buildings are APP
pearing every wear. The Nicerov does
much of the work to satisfy his passion
for building. and pays for it out of his
private purse. This purse is very deep.
The Khedive's plantations are so ex-
teusive as to require the labor of forty
eight thousand laborers, and ten thou
sand camels.
The people of this city change less
than the city itself. Arabs. Nubians.
Turks, Greeks and Europeans still
crowd its thoroughfares. The Oriental
costume prevails. The Arab still wears
his long flowing robe and turban. or,
like the Turk, dons his close jacket and
bag-like trousers, and covers his head
with the close fitting fez. The Nubian's
face is as black as ever. his turban as
white and his gown as blue. The mar
ried women still hide their faces beneath
their black walls. and show You only
their black eyes.
We have tried all sorts of convey
ances: riding in the barouche with
Egyptian boys III costume running he
fore us, riding donkeys. whose laggard
steps were distuI bed by the traditional
donkey boy, and riding a camel. who's,
swinging motion is like the rolling of 4
ship Just after storm.
The whole country is Mohammedan
Mosques with their graceful minaIet.
occupy the place of churches. and Mo
BANNED takes the place of Jesus Chris
the Savior This is IA great daI Will
the Mohammedans of Cairo. and W,
have witnessed an imposing and singu
lar display.
About the first of December in ever,
year large crowd of pilgrims sets on
from Cairo Oh camels for Mecca il