The Hawaiian gazette., 1876-01-12

scrbes the incidents of the visit of the Prince of
Wales to Egypt, and of his reception in India.
OF his visit to the Pyramids he writes
His Royal Highness then gaoped back to join
his party and drive to
THE PYRAMIDS
in time for the sunset. The party drove in two
breaks furnished by tue Khedive the first drawn
by six horses, the second by four. The road had
been mended especially for the Princes visit,
and the Pyramids we're reached in an hour. The
country is still much under water, and for the
most of the way the road lay through broad,
shining lakes. But here aud there the waters
had subsidized, and every dry patch was already
covered with green. II is wonderful thing this
inundation. Year by year, for thousand of years,
the Nile has come down at the same season. 10
much the same quantity, and has spread fertility
over the valley. Egypt expects her annual gift
as surely as the Arab looks for the sun TO rise 10
the morning, aud until the Nile runs dry
this must be one of the richest countries 10
the world. The sun was just going down as the
party reached the Pyramids but the after
glow, that peculiar glory of Egypt, full compen-
saiion for o brief twilight, remained for some
time upon the valley, and the view was very
striking On the one side, one looked over the
shining sheets of water to the white buildings of
Cairo, the fairy, spiral minaretes of the citadel
mosque, from which we're already hung the lamps
of Ramadan, and the long yellow range of the
Mokattan hill aud, on the other SIDE past the
Grand Pyramid to the lonely sterile Lbyan des-
ert, broken by no tree or sign of life. None of
the party either assembled the Pyramid or visited
the interior. The Prince had already made the
ascent, and this time he contended himself with
strolIing about the Pyramids and visiting the
Sphinx and the tombs. Mustapha Pasba and
Setter Pasha two high officials of the Kedive,
we're in attendance. and, among other things, had
prepared
AN ARAB DANCE.
for his Royal Highness. The dance of the
Ghawazee, who correspond to the Indian dane
ing girls known as Nautch girls, is much es-
teemed By native Egyptians. Its the opera OF
the true Oriental, who lies on his cushion and
follows every motion, as the tale of Eastern love
the dance usually represents is gradually uufolded.
But the sight to Western eyes though curious
as an old national custom, was neither beautiful
nor pleasing. and the girls, dressed in loose Turk
ish dress were neither pretty nor graceful.
A sumptuous dinner was provided 10 the cha
let or kiOsque that was built for the convenience
Of the Empress of the French at the time of her
visit. After dinner camethe event of the even
ing-the
ILLUMINATION OF THE GREAT PYRAMID.
1t was bold interchangeable lighting up of a
pyramidal mass 400 feet high, presenting two
sides each 7S0 feet long, and broken into con-
stantlY recurring shadows by over 200 courses Of
stone, each forming ledge or platform round the
pyramid However complete success rewarded
the courage Of the two Pashas. First, Bengal
fires, placed at short intervals round the pyramid,
were lighted, and each stone shons out as clear
as day. Rockets. Roman candles. and other
more complicated fe,lr Fdrfifce filed the air
with many colors. Then lights OF all imaginable
colors, which had been placed on every course Of
stone and up each angle of the Pyramid, were so
simultaneously lit that the blaze seemed to run
up the vast mass. and 10 moment envelope i
in one great baze of variegated fire, while mag
nesian wire shown out bright and clear from the