Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-02-01

Letter from ORirO-R RiIrOad sights
Pictures Of CatrO-EXGFRVhgan
OF the Hhedive-A Talk with the
Explorer stanley ey-Gemeral Grants
Visit.
From a Travelling Correspondent Of tho Phil.
adelphia Bulletin
CAIEO, January 3, 187S.-The
railway from Alexandria to Cairo,
the first ever constructed in Egypt,
was built in 1866. Excepting on
the bridges a double line Of rails
extends the entire distance. The
bridges are Of iron, and, like the
road itself, they are the work of
English engineers. The distance
between the two cities is called 131
miles, which the express trains ac-
complish in about four hours and a
half. The course of the railway is
of course entirely through the low
Delta country, the principal sta
tions being at Damanhoor, Tel-el-
Baroot, Kafrez-Zyat, Tantah and
Kalioob. AT Damanhoor there is a
buffet, where many express passen-
gers eat, as the train stops half an
hour for the purpose. During the
stay of the train there is no little
amusement afforded by the swarm
of nativewomen and boys who vend
wine, oranges, coffee and cakes.
These people are not troubled with
any superfuityof raiment, nor does
soap appear to be included among
their household articles. A woman
will ask half a franc (ten ceuts) for
an orange and then readily accept
what l call a {" fish scale;" that is, a
twenty para silver piece 1.-TWO and a
half cents), or one-half of a piastre.
There is even smaller silver piece
worth ten paras lone and a fourth
cents), but it is necessary to keep
your eye upon them or they will be
lost. AT one of the mud village
stations where the train halted /
watched an Arab family at dinner.
Five or six of both sexes and differ
ent ages were grouped around a pan
which contained bread ond green
leaves of some kind. When one
piece was devOured probably a half
dozen in the pan were fingered be-
fore a selection would be made.
Then the voracious process of bolt
ing was repeated. The presence Of
the train seemed in no way to
trouble the hungry family squatted
upon the open ground beside their
mud hut. The trains run well to
time and most of the employees com
mand sufficient English and French
to make themselves understood.
Europeansall travel first class, while
the natives confine themselves to
second and third, The first class
fare is about $7.25.
A SKETCH OF CAIRO.
The city of Cairo, the capital and
residence of the khedive, is partly
European in aspect and partly 0ri-
entail. The native portions are di
vided from each other by gates
which are closed at night and
opened by concierge only to those
carrying a lamp, there being NO
public lights in those quarters. The
modern or fashionable sections are
comprised within the divisions
called the Esbekeeyab, Ismaileeyah
and part of Abdeen. IN these the
streets and houses are new and well
lighted with gas. In the Oriental
quarters are found the irregular
narrow streets, bordeEed with ba,
Ears, where all Eastern goods eau
be purchased. There is also Eu-
ropean bazar, where French, Eng.
lish, Greeks, Turks and others dis.
play an additional variety, The
two leading hotels, the Grand New
and Shepheard's, arc both in the
Esbekeeyah, the former being oppo-
site the opera house and the new
public garden, where a native mill
tary band performs every afternoon
The Grand New Hotel, at which
we are quartered, is by far the larg
est and finest in Egypt, 1t is con.
Quoted upon the American plan
j. e., sixteen Shillings per day, with
everything included excepting
wines. Distinguished among The
yoyageurs now at the hotel are Real
Admiral Charles Steedman, U.S.N.
who ia honnd mn tho Mia ond tbf