The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-04-28


native teachers in charge Of schools num-
bering in all 1,271 boys and 622 girls.
His Highness, Maharajah Dhuleep Singh,
makes an annual contribution of $4,000
to the Presbyterian Mission in Egypt.
His wife was educated in a mission
school, and he has made this contribution
each year since his marriage in token of
his appreciation of Christianity and of
what it has done in giving him such
helpmete. In all, his gifts have now
amounted to $4,000. The last Khe-
dive Ismael Pasha, who took consider
able interest in education, made grant
OF "a valuable lot to the mission station in
Cairo for the erection of their new build
ing, in the best part of the city, not far
from our hotel, and near the Ezbekeeyeh
Square, | visited one of the female
schools, and at the invitation of the teach
er, asked the pupils number of questions
which were translated to them in the
Arabic, as their answers were to me in
English, and was delighted at the prompt
ness and correctness of their replies.
They recited for me the Lord s PRAYER in
concert, and sung an Arabic hymn to an
old familiar tune. One of the children
in this school is the daughter of former
Pasha. | am informed that there is also
very interesting Anglican mission
school under the care of Miss Whatelev.
daughter of the late Archbishop of Dub
lin, to which she has devoted herself with
the most praiseworthy zeal for nearly
twenty years. There are Sunday morn
ing services held in the American chapel,
in the English church, the German Pro
testant, the Roman Catholic, and the Or
thodoX Greek church, in all Of which the
congregations are said to be small. But
with one exception this is the only public
recognition of the fact that the Sabbath
is a sacred day in this great city of 4O0,-
900 inhabitants, Friday being the most
sacred day in the week with the Moham-
medans 1t is an indication, however, of
the progress Of new ideas even here in the
stereotyped East, that the Moslem courts
OF justice are generally closed in Cairo on
the Sabbath, in imitation of the Christian
custom.
The Pyramids
My fondness for ascending to great
heights, especially to such as command
views Of wide landscapes, has been turned
to good account during this tour. First
into the ball beneath the cross or st. Pc |
ters in Rome, next to the top of the crater
OF Vesuvius, and lastly in climbing the
great Pyramid Of Gheezeh There is
long line of these wonderful structures
extending for about fifteen miles beyond
the western bank of the Nile, the nearest
OF which can be reached by carriage in
about two hours. The drive itself is a
charming one along a smooth road shaded
by Lebbek trees, and made all the more
by the strange sight one meets
every moment. Sometimes there is a file
of ten or fifteen camels, shutting along
IN their ungainly way, with their skinny,
snake-like necks, and noses turned up as
If scornlng the dirty Arabs seated on
their backs, and the ignoble loads of mer
chandize they have to carry. But the
most numerous of all the beasts of burden
are the donkeys, and one never ceases to /
be amused at the comic contrast between
their dlminutive size and the enormous
bulk OF their riders, if natives, swelled
out as they are by the voluminous folds |.
OF their robes Hundreds of foot pas-
sengers are also passed, wearing the most
lndescrbable variety of costumes. The
true Mussulman is known by the ampli-
tude of his inexpressibles. Orthodoxy in
tins land IS measured by the width of
one breeches-the narrow pants of the
European being sad sign of his de-
Prayity and benighted infdelity. Good
Mohammedans pass him, scarcely deipn-
ing to cast glance at him. On either
side OF the road are the ever green fields
in which herds of buffaloes and Aocks Of
goats are grazing.
But there before you, rise with their
sharply defined edges against the blue
sky beyond the three great Pyramids of
the Gheezeb group-fo stand there, it
may be, IN their unapproachable union of
and sublimity, while the world
shall stand. In the Gheezeh proup there
are three pyramids, at Aboosir four at
Sakkara eleven, and Dashoor four. The
Pyramid of Cheops is the one which is
most frequently assembled. A dipnifed
Arab shelk IS always to be found there
VINO provides the visitor with onides to
assist him in the ascent Two of these
w1Iry, agile Arabs 60 before, each HOLDING
hand, and encouraging him by assur1
ances OF safety and compliments to his
ability as climber, interspersed with
appeals for Backsheesh, in addition TO the
regular fees These guides, who swarm