The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1880-10-13
Dalraiialt Gazette.
WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER Is, 1850.
visit to a Turkish Harem.

A Cairo correspondent of the Globr writes
"The wife of one of the consuls, who had
often heard me cay / was dying to see
harem, fetched me by appointment, and we
drove across the Nile to the Palace of Gizeh,
the residence of Princess Hussein Pasha, the
wife of the present Khedive's younger brother,
who is exiled with his father Ismai, and
is now in Naples. We entered noble hall,
the floor of mosaic, the ceiling of carved wood,
the walls of tapestry, mirrors, and panelling
Statues, bronzes, vases cabinets, ancient Turk
ish and Persian furniture, arms, curious music
al instruments, and thousand other objects
lay about on every side-a perfect museum of
art. Some 20 rooms opened ont of the hall,
and into one Of these we were shown by
number Of female slaves. Let me say in
parenthesis, that all harem attendants are
called, and really are, to all intents and pur-
poses, slaves. / know not what our notions on
this subject may be in England, but certain it
is that these servants are treated as the abb
solute property of their masters - bought, ex-
changed and made presents of like any mer-
camille commodity. They appear, however,
happy enough, for to threaten to turn them
away ID in their eyes the severest reprimand,
and one which always has its effect. The in
evitable coffee and sherbet now made their APP
pearance, with water-pipes and cigarettes,
tell us that the Princess was rather unwel,
but would be charmed to see us in her private
room. Passing through half a-dozen saloons
arranged in modern French style, but present.
ing rather STACEY appearance, we at length
entered cosy boudoir, half European, half
Oriental in IFS comforts; undeniably charm
ing room, the beau ideal of a room in which to
receive amis intimes. The half-closed 'mush-
rabees allowed glimpse of the fairy garden
below, and admitted snbdued light which
fell on broad divan covered with rare carpets.
Extended on this couch, and attired in a long
garment of pink satin, reposed rather stout
little lady, with a book in her hand. The
volume was closed, and our hostess-for this
was the Princess-appeared to be engaged in
contemplating the tips of her slippers. Men
would call them dainty slippers, for they
were certainly 'smallish.'
The Princess rose as we entered and adj
vanced a few steps, smiling, to meet us, gave
us her hand, and made room for us ON the
couch-one on each side of her. male
critic, especially if under five-and-twenty,
would have pronounced her at once to be
charming, and, indeed, her SPLENDID hair,
reaching to her knees, her fine eyes, and
agreeable manners would almost warrant the
verdict. Her complexion was also exquisite,
not being of the sickly white generally seen
Ill 'lhe HdIeHl. One WOInau, HOWeNeTy must
criticise another, and therefore hasten to
say that the features were perhaps little
coarse cut, and that the height precluded
her belonging to any save the 6outohe class of
beauty. Half dozen slaves stood motionless
about the room doing nothing, but ready to
hurry of to execute any errand. The Prin-
cess is one in thousand amongst harem ladies
as regards intellectual requirements; she is a
great reader, especially of modern French
works, and noticed 'L'Assommoir, Nara
lie Nabad, and many other books of the day,
as well as the Figaro and Journal Amusnnt.
Very different this harem and this princess
from the others have since visited, where the
fashions of the West are clumsily made to jar
on Eastern manners, involving a sacrifice of
beauty without any gain OF comfort, and
where the inmates do absolutely nothing from
morn till eve save smoke, drink coffee, have
their hair dressed, and quarrel. Reading is
voted SLOW, music bore, and conversation an
unnecessary exertion, so that visit to many
harems is very slow affair indeed. Princess
Husseln is Turk, and has never been in
Paris, or indeed IN Europe, but she dOtes on
every Partisan, and insists upon sending to
what victor hugo calls the capital of the
world Tor everything. We were now taken
upstairs and shown the Arabic part of the
Palace, the luxurious baths, the cool sleeping
chambers, almost devoid OF furniture, the airy
terraces was specially struck with one
room covered throughout with finest white
CASHMERE, ceiilng, walls, and dlvans, the fur
hituIe lhiald wlth silver, silver lamp sus-
pehaed IN the center, the noor OF snow white
IIarOeIlhe mirrors WIN frosted SILVER frames.
M MI Tn IN flt1n nl,n