The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-06-22
How the rashas Dine in Egypt.

How the Pashas Dine in Egypt.
You enter q square room Will
bare, whitewashed walls few
texts of the Koran framed in wood
/ en- frames hanging up here and
4 there, straw mating covering The
floor, and crimson cushioned diran
or ottoman extending all across one
end OF the room, under the windows
which overlook the street. Here
you see sitting cross-legged in one
I corner Of the room, on the end OF the
diyan, and leaning against cushions
placed against the wall, a venerable
locking old man, stout, white-h +
ed, dressed in q Stamboul suit, with
tarboosh or iez upon his head, and
a pair Of patent leather elastic sided
boots upon his feet. This is the
pasha, and the Office he fills is chat
of Minister Of Public Works, his
duties being to superintead the dis
ftribution Of The water OF the Nile,
and generally attend to all practi-
cal works Of utility, calling up such
forced labor rs may be required for
The purpose. On the other side of
/ the room are arranged, close togeth-
er, chairs OF European make, and Of
/ a cheap description, such rs would
cost about one dollar each in Amer
iea. Here and there on these are
lseated @ few individuals, visitors to
the Pasha, or people who have some
request to make Of his Excellency,
probably III reference to the supply
Of water in the irrigating Canal ia
their district,
On tho entry OF your humble
servant everybody rises, bows and
smiles most politely. The Pasha
tells him 10 sit down, and coffee in
small cups-less than egg cups-is
served, beginning with the highest
in rank in the room. After a gen
eral conversation, III which the
Pasha takes the leading part, q ser
want brings il small table end an
nounces dinner; a round tray IS
then brought and placed on the ta-
BE OF each visitor, ut the invitation
of FGddqbai from the Pasha. brings
"a chair and seats himself at the
board. FIRST soup is served. 4
bowl coniaiuing this is placed IN
the middle OF tie tray, and each
person finds n napkin. piece Of
bread, and an ivory or ebony spoon
ready to his hand. The Pasha takes
Ia spoonful and then each one in
turn takes his Dip into the same
bowl; perlaIs q second or lbird
round IS taken. but the writer usu-
ally eontriyed 10 find employment
in munching bread, for, though the
soup is always good, so many spoons
in il spoils the effect. At nod
from the Pasha the soup Is removed
by q servant with one hand while
he places the next dish with the
other hand in the middle Of the
tray. Perhaps this Is q Joint Of
mutton sto8ed with white beans
and favored with tomatoes. Each
breaks of 4 piece Of bread with his
right hand and has dip in this,
ceniris;ag at one time to take q few
beans, at another 70 pull ofa piece
OF the delicious mutton, and polite
ly keeping to one particular spo,
which he had marked, so to say as
his own One or two tastes Of this
has to suffice, for the Pasha soon
mods again and the dish is changed
for puiis of batter swimming in hon-
ey. Then follows roast fowl, or
some delicious stew Of meat with
dried fruit, or 4 dish Of marsh NAL
lows, or some thick cream. These, /
and many other dishes are placed
on the tray in rapid succession,
and if YOU want to taste you must
lose no time, for the Pasha mods
quickly and away they 90. During
the dinner q servant stands with q
Goolah, or water bottle in one hand I
and a glass or silver cup in the |
other, and il you require to quench /
your thirst, that is the only means (
of doing SO. All drink out Of one
vessel, not a nice practice at al, /
as some Turks and Arabs /
take snuff.
After about forty different dishes
have been passed in review, lastly I
comes the rice. This is the inyaria- /
bic conclusion of On Arab or Turkish I
feed.
Then follows ablution, two SER
wants bringing round-one a bowl I
and the other an ever of water /
slightly warmed; soap is also pro- (
vided- and a nice soft towel. You I
do not, however, dip your hands I
into the water, but have it poured /
over them, and after washing the
hands it is usual also to wash the
both inside and out-the (
Pasha in question invariably max
ing use of a tooth brush for the lat
ter operation, as recommended by
the great prophet Mahommed.
Coffee is again served and cigar
cites or long pipes (chibouks) light
ed, and, according to the humor Of
the great man, the meeting breaks
up or is prolonged for an hour or